BX 

7T95 





aassB Xl79^ 
Book J\5 5A 5 



GPO 



MEMOIRS 

OF O I 6 

JACOB RITTER, 

A FAITHFUL MINISTER 

IN THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 

BY JOSEPH FOULKE. 



Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be 
lost." — John vi. 12. 



• • • 






• « 

•• I • • • 



PHILADELPHIA : 

T. E. CHAPMAN, 74 NORTH FOURTH ST. 

E. WEAVER,5 NORTH FRONT ST. 

BAKER & CRANE, N. YORK. 

1844. 



^■\ \^' ?><■ 



''^^- 



CHAPMAN AND JONES, PRINTERS, 

^Mee of the '^JFriends^ J^eehly Intelligencer ^^^ 

No. 3 South Fifth Su Philadelphia. 

*03 



• • • 



PREFACE. 

In presenting these memoirs to the public, it may 
be proper to mention that the narrative of Jacob Rit° 
ter was, at his own request, committed to writing 
many years before his decease, and was carefully 
preserved among his papers. It is now, with the 
exception of a few verbal corrections, published in 
its original form. This portion of the ensuing 
work having, in manuscript, been submitted to the 
inspection of many Friends, they were of the judg- 
ment that it should appear in print ; and that many 
additional anecdotes and striking incidents might be 
usefully appended. Believing, in accordance with 
the view frequently expressed to me by Jacob Ritter, 
that some remarkable occurrences of his life should 
be recorded for the benefit of posterity, I have en- 
deavoured, with much pains, to collect and arrange 
these reminiscences concerning this beloved Friend, 
and trust they will be found to answer the object 
for which they are now offered to the public. It may be 
added, that Jacob Ritter being of German parentage, 
had retained much of his vernacular style of language ; 
and to this circumstance the reader will trace occa- 
sional peculiarities of expression observable in the 
following memoirs. Joseph Foulke, 



MEMORIAL 
CONCERNING JACOB RITTER. 

As the righteous are worthy of remembrance, it 
may be said of Jacob Ritter, that he endeavoured to 
live in the fear of the Lord, in humility, and self- 
abasement becoming his religious profession, not 
numbering himself among the great. 

His original ideas, his singular comparisons, and 
his bright example of piety and virtue, made his min- 
istry interesting and acceptable to Friends and those 
around him. Like the good Samaritan, he sympa- 
thized with the afflicted, pouring in the healing oil. 

He frequently visited his friends and encouraged 
them to keep their ranks in the truth, (being con- 
cerned himself to do his day's work in the day time,) 
cautioning them against a hasty forward spirit. He 
was careful practically to observe the admonition of 
the Apostle, "to be swift to hear, but slow to 
speak," and in his labors he manifested no disposi- 
tion to carry points, but was bold in declaring the 
truth. His conversation was pleasant and instruc- 
tive, and his words were seasoned with giace. 

His communications in meetings were not lengthy, 
but generally to edification and comfort, especially to 



MEMORIAL 
CONCERNING JACOB RITTER. 

As the righteous are worthy of remembrance, it 
may be said of Jacob Ritter, that he endeavoured to 
live in the fear of the Lord, in humility, and self- 
abasement becoming his religious profession, not 
numbering himself among the great. 

His original ideas, his singular comparisons, and 
his bright example of piety and virtue, made his min- 
istry interesting and acceptable to Friends and those 
around him. Like the good Samaritan, he sympa- 
thized with the afflicted, pouring in the healing oil. 

He frequently visited his friends and encouraged 
them to keep their ranks in the truth, (being con- 
cerned himself to do his day's work in the day time,) 
cautioning them against a hasty forward spirit. He 
was careful practically to observe the admonition of 
the Apostle, " to be swift to hear, but slow to 
speak," and in his labors he manifested no disposi- 
tion to carry points, but was bold in declaring the 
truth. Ilis conversation was pleasant and instruc- 
tive, and his words were seasoned with giace. 

His communications in meetings were not lengthy, 
but generally to edification and comfort, especially to 



VI 

those who were under trial of mind ; towards these 
}^e manifested a deep concern for the welfare of their 
immortal souls. 

His dress and household furniture were plain and 
simple, showing a good example in these respects, 
and manifesthig himself to be a man fearing God and 
hating covetousness, and yet maintaining the ground 
of industry for his own support and that of his fam- 
ily. It may be truly said of him that he knew what 
it was to be abased, and what it was to abound, both 
in spiritual and temporal things, in all things giving 
thanks. 

He entertained his friends and strangers with kind- 
ness and hospitality, being blessed with enough, and 
believing in the testimony of the Divine Master: — 
" Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his right- 
eousness ; and all these things shall be added unto 
you." Matt. vi. 33. 

He was a man much beloved by all who knew him. 
Having passed through great suffering and afflic- 
tion, he was thereby enabled to sympathize with his 
brethren in various states and conditions, possessing, 
at the same time, a large share of that charity that 
covereth a multitude of faults. 

It appears from his own account that, at one period 
of his life, he was like the prodigal son who had 
strayed far from his father's house, and had wasted 
his substance in riotous living ; but in great mercy 
and loving kindness he was brought back again to 



Vll 

the banqueting house, where the Lord's banner over 
him was love. Gratitude was felt for this unmerited 
mercy, and he was increasingly induced to follow 
that spirit that leads in the way of life and salva- 
tion. 

He was a diligent attender of religious meetings ; 
solid and grave in his deportment in them ; and was 
favored frequently to make pertinent remarks in 
those held for discipline, He was just and upright 
in his dealings among men ; and, by keeping the eye 
of the mind single, he became " a pillar in the Lord's 
house that went no more out ;" earnestly recom 
mending Friends to " mind the light ;" to " take 
heed to the life;" "to keep down to the root of 
love and life; to get down to the " root and founda- 
tion ;" and thus be preserved in harmony and love, 
and united together in feeling after the blessed spirit, 
which is the bond of peace. 

As none can rise with Christ into newness of 
life, but those who go down with him into baptism of 
suffering and death, so it was this dear Friend's ex- 
perience to pass through seasons of great desertion; 
insomuch that he would sometimes express his feel- 
ings in the language of the Divine Master : " My 
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He 
would thus hold out encouragement to Friends not to 
shrink from suffermg, because by these baptisms we 
are redeemed out of all evil, and fitted and prepared 
for the heavenly kingdom, and also for a higher state 



vm 

of enjoyment in this life, even communion with our 
Creator. 

In the latter part of his time, his hearing became 
dull and heavy, yet in monthly meetings lie would 
frequently speak to the business with life and clear- 
ness, his mind being very much centered in the 
truth. 

The last meeting he attended was on first-day the 
28th of eleventh-month 1841, in which he appeared 
in the ministry with clearness, to the comfort and 
satisfaction of Friends. Soon after he was taken 
with a chill ; after which he graduallly declined for 
about two weeks. During his illness, many Friends 
visited him : he remarked that it was profitable for 
Friends to visit one another in the life. On another 
occasion, he said to two Friends who visited him, "I 
am glad to see you: behold the Lamb of God who 
taketh away the sins of the world." At another time 
he expressed an earnest desire that people might be 
loving and kind to one another. His mind was pre- 
served in a heavenly calm, and in this undisturbed 
and peaceful state he continued until one o'clock on 
the 15th of tweltth-month, w^hen he passed quietly 
away in the 85th year of his age, being a minister 
nearly fifty years. His remains were interred in 
Friends' burial ground at Plymouth on Seventh-day 
the 18th, on which solemn occasion a meeting for 
worship was held after the interment. 

Joel liAiRE. 



MEMOIRS OF JACOB RITTER, 



It has many times been on my mind to leave 
some account of the gracious deaUngs of the 
Lord with me, and to note down some of the re- 
markable circumstances of my life from my youth 
up ; and now, in the seventy-first year of my 
age, the remembrance of the following particu- 
lars has been brought very fresh before me. 

My parents were Jacob and Elizabeth Ritter, 
who came from Germany; and when arrived in 
America, they bound themselves as servants to 
pay for their passage. My father served three 
years, and my mother four years. 

When the period of their servitude was over, 
they married; and, taking each a small bundle on 
their heads, being all their worldly w^ealth, w^ent 
out into the w^oods and made a settlement in w^hat 
is now called Springfield, Bucks county, in 
2 



10 MEMOIRS OF 

Pennsylvania. Here I was born in the year 
1757. My parents were honest and industrious, 
and I, being their first child, was brought up 
inured to hardships. My father was a high 
spirited man, and put me to hard work as soon 
as I was able, and early accustomed me to the 
management of the grubbing hoe. My mother 
was always kind and tender to me. 

When we had lived at Springfield for some 
time, my father bought a small tract of land not 
far off, and moved his family to it. I remember 
when we got to it, we found that the dwelling- 
house had been burned down, and nothing but 
the chimney left standing. My father went out 
to work by the day at his trade of shoemaking, 
in order to earn a little money, and my mother 
took me with her, and began to clear the land, 
and I became expert in chopping down trees. — 
Many times, after I had been thus employed, I 
would sit down on a stump and eat my dinner of 
cold pork and bread with a relish that no luxury 
could give ; the little birds used to hop around 
me without fear, and I amused myself with scat- 
tering crumbs for them. 



JACOB RITTER. 11 

When I was about thirteen years of age, I 
used to love to throw myself down on the grass 
before my father's door of evenings, when I had 
finished my daily labor, and look at the sky ; and 
when I observed the bright moon and stars, or the 
changing of the clouds, I would think, surely 
there must he some great power that created qpid 
framed all these things; for though I had often 
felt the secret touches of Divine love, yet I wist 
not what it was. 

After an evening thus spent, I got up off the 
grass and went to bed ; and whether I dreamed, 
or whether it was a vision, I cannot tell, but I 
found myself on the same spot which I had oc- 
cupied in the evening, and I thought two men 
came to me clothed in white ; one of them laid 
his hands upon my breast, and the other placed 
his behind my shoulders. I then perceived that 
they were angels, for they stretched out their 
wings over me, and lifted me up, teUing me 
they would shew me the gates of heaven.— 
When we came to the place, I beheld our Sa- 
viour wdth outstretched arms, and was told I 
must enter in by Christ who was the door.— 
When I had passed into the glorious city, I 



12 



MEMOIRS OF 



beheld that every thing was clear and pure^ and 
that there was no light of the sun or moon, but 
Christ was the light thereof. The two angels 
who had brought me thither, set me upon an ele- 
vated seat, and I saw an innumerable company 
round me, all shining and bright, and they sang 
the song of Moses and the Lamb. 

When this heavenly harmony had ceased there 
was a great silence, and then the shining host all 
passed in quietude away, except my two conduc- 
tors, who came and told me I must not stay there 
then, but must go back again. When I came to 
myself, heavenly love covered my mind, and I 
got up in the morning in much quietness of spirit. 
My mother took notice of it, and asked me the 
cause, but I feared to show her the vision, until 
at length she pressed me so hard to tell her, that 
I did so, and she replied : '' Jacob, my son, this 
is certainly a foresight of some great work thou 
wilt have to do ; mind now be a good boy and 
fear God." 

Time passed on, and when I was about six- 
teen years of age, as nearly as I can recollect, I 
was drawn into solemn silence, and stood alone 



JACOB RITTER. 13 

in the woods, when a sight and sense came over 
me of the horrors of war; but at that time I did 
not know the meaning of it, though there was 
then a common talk about Whig and Tory. 
However, when I was about twenty years of 
age, there was a muster of the mihtia in our 
neighborhood, and the clergyman of the Luthe- 
ran Church to which I belonged, preached the 
propriety and necessity of standing in defence of 
our country against her enemies ; so I was per- 
suaded against my better judgment, to join the 
army; and taking up my musket, I entered the 
American service. 

I saw much of a military life both in the camp 
and in the field, and encountered many hardships. 
Were I to enter minutely into a detail of them, 
it would fill a volume ; but in order to make my 
account as brief as may seem proper, I will notice 
such events only as impress my mind most for- 
cibly. The company and battalion to which I 
belonged marched down to Brandywine at 
Ohadsford and joined the army under the com- 
mand of Washington and Lafayette. We had 
orders to work day and night to erect batteries, 



14 



MEMOIRS OF 



&c., in order to resist the progress of the Eng- 
lish army. 

After several days hard labor, we became so 
drowsy that nearly all the men except the senti- 
nels fell asleep. General Washington stood in 
the midst of our camp, and called out to us with a 
loud voice : " Boys, get up — but be silent, the 
enemy is nearly upon us.'^ About day light 
the alarm gun was fired by the British; then all 
our army made ready for battle. 

General orders were given for every company 
to maintain its ranks, aud each man to keep his 
place. An awful pause preceded the engagement, 
and some of us stood in solemn silence. I then 
remembered what I had seen and felt of the mer- 
cies of God, and was afresh convinced that it was 
contrary to the Divine Will for a christian to 
fight. I was sensible in my own heart that I 
had done wrong in taking up arms, and the ter- 
rors of the Lord fell upon me. I then secretly 
suppUcated the Almighty for preservation, cove- 
nanting that if he would be pleased to deliver me 
from shedding the blood of my fellow-creatures 
that day, I would never fight again. Then the 



JACOB RITTER. 15 

love of God was shed abroad in my heart, and 
all fear of man was entirely taken away ; and 
throughout the engagement I remained perfectly 
calm, though the bombshells and shot fell round 
me like hail, cutting down my comrades on every 
side, and tearing off the limbs of the trees like a 
whirlwind ; the very rocks quaked, and the hills 
that surrounded us seemed to tremble with the 
roar of the cannon. 

It happened that the standing troops were call- 
ed into action before the militia x)f which the bri- 
gade that I belonged to was partly composed. — 
Towards evening, (for th« battle lasted from sun- 
rise to sunset,) our battalion was ordered to 
march forward to the charge. Our way was over 
the dead and dying, and I saw many bodies 
crushed to pieces beneath the wagons, and we 
were bespattered with blood. But no orders 
w^ere given to use our small armS;, and thus I was 
enabled to rejoice, that though I was provided 
with sixty cartridges, I did not discharge my 
musket once that day. Forever magnified be 
the God of my life that I was mercifully deliv- 
ered from spilling the blood of any of my fel- 
low-creatures ! 



16 MEMOIRS OF 

As we had to march directly under the Eng- 
lish cannon which kept up a continual fire, the 
destruction of our men was very great, and Wash- 
ington called out to us : " Men, retreat ; it is not 
worth while to sacrifice so many lives.'' It was 
now drawing towards night, and we retreated as 
well as we could. I took shelter in the woods, and 
having found a thick grape-vine, crept under it, 
and worn out with hunger and fatigue, fell sound 
asleep. 

The next morning I crawled out of my hiding 
place, and a sense of my forlorn condition cover- 
ed my mind. I knew I had sinned in entering 
into the war, and no man going to execution 
could have felt more remorse. I went along un- 
til I came to a little cottage where dwelt a Dutch 
woman. I entered at a venture and begged her 
to give me a little broth, for I had not tasted a 
mouthful of food for two days. She took pity 
on me and gave me some, but I had scarcely 
done eating it, when a party of Hessians came in 
and took me prisoner. War-worn and weary as 
I was, they marched me before them, beating me 
most unmercifully with the butts of their guns, 
and occasionally placing their bayonets at my 



JACOB RITTER. 17 

breast ; they swore they would kill me on the 
spot because I was a rebel. In this trial I experi- 
enced heavenly Goodness to be near, and again 
all fear of death was taken away. 

They took me to the Hessian general. Count 
Donop, who, after much rough language, order- 
ed me to be put under the provost-captain, and 
wdth a number of other prisoners of war, I was 
marched to Philadelphia and lodged in prison. 

The number of American prisoners in jail at 
this time was about nine hundred. During the 
first five days of our confinement, most of us 
had nothing to eat, and many died from want. — 
One poor fellow who had been, as far as I can 
remember, five days without food, got at last a 
little piece of dry bread, which he devoured 
greedily, and then leaning his head back, imme- 
diately expired ! 

I had been three days without a mouthful to 
eat, when an aunt of mine got leave to see me ; 
she gave me a small quantity of food and then left 
me, and in a day or two after sent her son with 
some more, and thus imder Providence saved my 
3 



18 



WEMOIRS OF 



life. Ah! when I have seen the tables of 
Friends in Philadelphia loaded with all the luxu- 
ries of wealth, it seemed as if I could weep over 
them, remembering the days of my famine, and 
fearing that the day of plenty was not enough 
valued. 

While I was thus suffering under this cruel 
imprisonment, I remembered the impressions of 
my mind on the day of the battle at Brandy- 
wine, and feeling myself as a poor worm of the 
dust, I used to go out every evening after dark, 
into the jail yard, and throw myself prostrate 
with my face upon the ground in deep abased- 
ness of soul, and supplicate the Lord for mercy. 

This sense of my undone condition lasted for 
a considerable time, until at length the voice of Di- 
vine compassion passed through my mind, that my 
prayers were heard and that I should experience 
deliverance from my troubles. I arose from the 
ground with gladness of heart. But now my 
trials increased, for I being a stout young man, 
the provost-captain sought to entice me into 
English service, and for that end offered me a 
whole handful of English guineas ; but I firm- 



JACOB RIOTER. 19 

ly refused, and then they beat me most cruelly^ 
until I was much bruised. 

About. this time I heard Count Donop say, 
as he passed by the prison on his way to Red 
Bank, that he would storm the American fort at 
that place, even if it were hung at the very gates 
of heaven. But this presumptuous man received a 
wound at that battle which proved mortal. 

My cousin who visited me in prison told me, 
if I could get a petition presented to Joseph Gal- 
loway (who was the particular friend of the Bri- 
tish general Howe) he thought he would sign it. 
This he did, and I was soon afterwards released. 

After various difficulties I succeeded in getting 
out of Philadelphia, and reached my father^s 
house in safety. My relations and friends were 
rejoiced to see me, for they had not heard of me 
after the battle, and had supposed me dead ; but 
my dear mother had maintained a belief that she 
w^ould see me again, and would often say, ^' my 
child is yet alive/' 

In the spring of 1778 I was married to Doro« 
thy Smithj a young woman with whom I had 



20 MEMOIRS OF 

been acquainted before I entered the army. 
We were both poor, but having a true affection, 
we determined to assist each other in making a 
livehhood. We removed to Philadelphia and be- 
gan house-keeping in a small way. I went out 
to do days' work, and many times have mowed 
grass on the spot where the Green Street meet- 
ing-house now stands. My wife took in washing, 
and we made out to live. 

But it pleased Providence to permit trials to 
continue, and I had the ague for twelve months. 
During this afflictive period, I endeavored to 
support my family by working at my trade of 
shoemaking, and lest tlirough debility of body I 
should sleep too long, I used, instead of lying 
down, to lean my head on my arms against a 
bench, and catch a little rest in that way. 

One day my wife was sick, and my httle son 
said to me,"Father, I am hungry, give me a piece 
of bread.'' But, alas ! I had none to give him ; 
and as I walked up and down the floor in great 
trial, a soldier entered, and taking a loaf of bread 
from his knapsack, asked me if I would give him 
some potatoes in exchange for it. As soon as 



JACOB RITTER. 21 

my child saw the bread he renewed his applica- 
tion to me for a piece ; but I told him he must 
wait until I went down cellar and saw whether 
there were potatoes enough to satisfy the soldier. 
I was very glad when he had satisfied himself 
and departed, and then with gratitude to the God 
of my life, I divided the loaf of bread amongst us. 

My circumstances, however, began to mend 
when I recovered my health."^ My wife and I 
continued to attend the Lutheran church. My 

* The following account furnished by William Jeanes 
as related to him by Jacob Ritter, goes to show more mi- 
nutely his trials and the state of his outward circumstan- 
ces about this time: 

" I had the fever and ague nearly a year, but when I 
recovered my bodily strength, I went to a Friend who 
was a tanner, and making my case known to him, ask- 
ed for some leather on trust, and told him that I would 
make it up into shoes and pay him as soon as I could. — 
He said he did not deal in that way, he must have the 
money, or I could not have the leather. I went away 
not knowing what to do, being very much cast down. — 
As I was walking along the street, I met a Roman Cath- 
olic, he stopped and asked me what was the matter, I told 
him there was matter enough, I had neither money 
nor bread, and I could not get any work: he told me to 



22 MEMOIRS OF 

mind had been uneasy for some time, and I went 
to some of the heads of the society, and queried 
with them about matters of faith and doctrine, 
and of the Light that shined within,, and also 
with regard to water baptism ► 

They told me there was no such thing as an 
inshining light, and that I was under a tempta- 
tion of the devil ; and recommended me to go 
into company and amusements to dissipate such 
thoughts. Here great exercise came upon me. 
I found I must either unite with them in all their 
creeds and ceremonies, contrary to the convic- 



come with him, and he would let me have aside of sole 
leather, and a side of upper leather. I went with him 
and got the leather and made it up into shoes, aiad took 
them to market; I made them good and strong and had 
ready sale for them. I paid the Roman Catholic for the 
leather, and never wanted money to buy bread after- 
wards; my business soon increased so that I had several 
hands in my employ. The Friend met me one day, and 
asked me why I did not come to him to buy leathei. I 
told him when I had neither money, bread nor credit, he 
would not trust me, but now I could pay for my leather, 
and had paid the Roman Catholic many hundred dollars 
since that time." 



JACOB RITTER. 23 

tionsof my conscience, or must turn my back 
upon them. 

At kngth I made up my mind to leave them, 
and remain as a pilgrim upon the earth, not join- 
ed to any religious society. I attended to my 
trade and business diligently ; and many persons 
came to dispute with me on points of doctrine, 
and tried to influence me to join them. Among 
the rest there was a company of one sect, who 
told me they were the only people that walked 
in the right way ; but I told them I was not 
cominced of it. They asked me what further 
evidence I wanted. I replied that I had seen with 
an eye of faith a people who worshipped God in 
spirit and in truth. They said they were the very 
people, and began to quote many texts of scripture 
to prove it. I told them all their talk would sig- 
nify nothing to me, as I was determined not to 
join any society, till I was thoroughly convinc- 
ed in my own mind. So they departed and trou- 
bled me no more. 

The night after the controversy above alluded 
to, I saw in my sleep a great multitude of peo- 
ple surrounding a steeple w-hich stood in an open 



24 MEMOIRS OF 

plain, and I wondered no houses were near it. — 
Presently, a man clothed in shining garments 
stepped up to me and said : " Jacob, these peo- 
ple are looking for the appearance of the foun- 
der of their society, who will show himself at 
the belfry of the steeple-house, but mark! as 
soon as he makes his appearance, the steeple will 
take fire at its foundation and consume him with 
every thing that is in the building, and it shall 
be utterly destroyed." 

When he left me, I saw the multitude earnest- 
ly gazing up at the man whom I now beheld 
standing at the belfry dressed in his black gown 
and white bands. Great fear fell upon me when 
I saw him, and in a few minutes I T3eheld the fire 
kindle, and the whole building with the man in 
it was totally consumed. I awoke and behold 
it was a dream ! I arose and bowed myself in 
suppHcation under the baptism of the Holy 
Ghost. The heavenly Principle was opened to 
my imderstanding, and solenm reverent silence 
covered my mind. 

In this state of feeling I was again permitted 
to have a near view of Paradise, and to behold a 



JACOB RITTER. iO 

glorious company surrounding the throne of God, 
singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, and a 
voice was heard saying, " there is more joy in 
Heaven over one sinner that repenteth than over 
ninety and nine just persons v^ho need no repen- 
tance/' This blissful view confirmed the vision 
I had when I was a lad as has been related here- 
tofore. Oh ! that all would come to know this 
pure inward silence before God ! On opening the 
Bible while under these serious considerations, it 
seemed as if I had a spiritual understanding 
given me, such as I never had before, though I 
had read the scriptures a great deal. 

Soon after this, an impression was made on my 
mind that I must go to the Bank meeting, but 
did not know at that time any thing of such a 
place, nor was I acquainted with any of the So- 
ciety of Friends. Accordingly, I went out and 
inquired of some person in the street for such a 
place as the Bank meeting-house ;* it was on a 
week day. I at length arrived at the place ; 
and opening the door, found a number of people 
assembled and sitting in solenm stillness. I 
went in, and seated myself behind the door. In 

* Formerly situated in Front, above Mulberry street. 
4 



26 MEMOIRS OP 

a few minutes I found something working so 
powerfully on my mind, that it was comparable 
to the whirlwind, the fire, and the earthquake : 
under this exercise I got up and went out of the 
meeting, and stood at the corner of the house, 
outside ; but I felt condemned in my heart and 
very sorrowful for disturbing the solemnity of 
the meeting ; for now my eyes were opened, and 
a sense was given me, that these were the peo- 
ple I had seen with an eye of faith, worshipping 
God in the silence of all flesh. I then resolved 
to go in again, and sit down in company with 
Friends. I did so, and the same commotion 
took hold of my mind again ; but as I endured 
it and strove for stillness, light arose on my poor 
soul, and it seemed as if a window had been opened 
in a dark room, and let in the bright sunshine. 

Here all my doubts were at an end, and I was 
confirmed in my faith, not by outward observa- 
tion nor by outward things, but by the everlast- 
ing principle of Truth revealed in me, that this 
was the true worship in spirit and in truth. — 
Sweet peace covered my spirit, and I felt as if I 
could have sat there till night. However, the 
meeting broke up and I went home determined 



JACOB RITTER. 27 

to let none of my acquaintance know that I at- 
tended the Quaker meeting. But the second 
time I went the news spread, and the Lutherans 
heard of it. Now my trials began afresh. — 
When my wife heard of my having been to Qua- 
ker meeting, she told . me she hoped I would not 
forsake the Lutheran faith, nor deny the scrip- 
tures ; as it was commonly reported that Friends 
did deny them. She continued to go to the Lu- 
theran church, and I to the Bank meeting, for 
about two years. 

It was a close trial for me to differ from my 
dear wife in matters of religion, but I was favor- 
ed to keep pretty much in patience, and said 
but little to her on points of controversy, which 
proved of use. 

Not long after I joined with Friends, hearing 
of a fair to be held in Warwick in Maryland, 
and also one at Charleston, I concluded to take 
a parcel of shoes I had made to the fair. 

Accordingly, I set out w^ith a journeyman and 
went down the river in a vessel aboutvseventy 
miles, then crossed the country to the head of the 



28 MEMOIRS OF 

bay. When we reached Charleston I hired a room 
and bought half a cord of wood, that we might 
live quietly and peaceably by ourselves while 
w6 remained in the place. A large concourse 
of people gathered in the town, and among the 
rest was a play-actor. He came to me 
and offered to show me all his art for nothing ; 
but I told him I did not want to see it. 

I was also asked to attend a Methodist meet- 
ing, which I declined and remained quietly in my 
room. One evening a company of rude men 
came in and drank and used much bad language. 
I bore with it for some time, but at length told 
them, that as I paid the rent of the room, I wish- 
ed to have it for myself and companions. Some 
of them being warmed with liquor, got angry 
and threatened to abuse me because I would not 
join with them. 

An Irishman who was acquainted with me, stood 
up and told these abusive men, that if any one 
insulted me, he was ready to defend me through 
rough and smooth ; but I told him to forbear and 
not strike one of them, for they had drank so much 
they did not understand rightly what they were 



JACOB RITTER. 29 

about — SO he sat down peaceably. Now just 
about this time, a stranger somewhat fashionable 
came into the room — his countenance and deport- 
ment were grave and solid. I perceived by his 
language and appearance that he was not a 
member of Friends' society. He spoke out and 
said, " my friends, I have something on my 
mind to say, if you are willing to hear, but if 
you are not, I will try to keep it to myself.'* As 
soon as he spoke my spirit bore witness to his 
and I called out, " my friend^ if thou hast any- 
thing on thy mind to say, be faithful ;" so he 
stepped forward and spoke as follows i — 

" My friends, I was once as fond of liquor as 
any of you, and drank a great deal not only in 
company but by myself at home. But after a day 
of carousing I began to reflect that if I kept on that 
way, it would lead me to misery. I went to bed, 
and thought I was conducted to the top of a 
mountain, where I beheld two men entirely des- 
titute of covering standing by a trough iii which 
I saw some red stuff that looked like fire. Giie 
of the men had a scoop-shovel in his handj and 
would frequently lade up a shovelful of the fire 
and throw it into the open mouth of the other. 



30 MEMOIRS OF 






who, after swallowing it, would vomit it back into 
the trough, and this was done again and again ! I 
was much astonished at this sight, and asked my 
guide what it meant ; he replied, ^ this is the 
miserable state of drunkards.' Oh ! said I, this 
then is my state for I love liquor. I awoke 
in great terror, and trembling made a so- 
lemn covenant, that I would not taste another 
drop of liquor as long as I lived, and from that 
time I have been entirely clear from that awful 
sin." The company listened with profound at- 
tention to the voice of this stranger; and I do 
not think any more liquor was drank that night, 
for the people went away next morning all sober. 

Thus I was delivered from my trials at that 
time, yet felt impressed with the belief that more 
awaited me. So when I embarked in the vessel 
that was to bring me back to Philadelphia,! found 
some rough men on board who persisted in pro- 
ceeding on the voyage, though the captain said 
he thought we should have a storm. They went 
below deck to play cards, and drank and swore 
all day. I went to them, and warned them to 
leave off their evil doings, but they treated me 
with scorn, and would not take my advice. 



JACOB RITTER. 31 

I However, a gale overtook us in the evening, 
'the wind blew, the waves beat, the thunder 
roared and the lightning flashed : then these 
wicked men w^ere seized with great terror, and 
on their knees prayed for mercy. I sat in a so- 
lemn frame of mind, and said to them, " My 
friends, you have been serving the Devil all 
day, and now in your extremity you cry unto that 
God you have blasphemed." They w^re struck 
with conviction, and implored me to forgive them 
for their ill treatment of me in the morning. " My 
friends," said I, " I freely forgive you, and be- 
lieve if you w^ill now turn from your evil ways, 
that the Lord will forgive you, and you will ex- 
perience his mercy and preservation." And w^hen 
we came safe to land they hung round me like 
poor beggars, and we parted in much tenderness. "^ 

* Jacob Ritter was a faithful coadjutor with his breth- 
ren of the Society of Friends in the support of their tes- 
timony against intemperance. He labored earnestly 
to dissuade all who were in the habit of drinking- intoxi- 
cating liquors from such a hurtful and dangerous practice. 

He frequently expressed his fervent concern on this sub- 
ject both in meetings and out of them ; remarking that he 
had been grieved in the army on seeing the officers mix 
gunpowder in liquor, and press the soldiers to drink it 



32 



MEMOIRS OF 



One day on my return from another part of 
the town where I had some business, I found my 
mother-in-law^ and another woman at my house, 
disputing with my wife about doctrine. Her 
mother had charged her with going to Quaker f 
meeting, which she denied, and on my coming 
in, appealed to me. "No,^^ said I,"thou hast never 
been.'^ My wife stepped up to me, and said in a 
very loving manner, " now Jacob I am convinced 
thou art in the right way, and I will henceforth 
go to meeting with thee.'' 

When she had so said, her mother start- 
ed up in a passion, and when I tried to per- 
suade her to stay and dine with us, she refused 
declaring she would have nothing to do with such 
reprobates. 

When the yellow fever broke out in Philadel- 
phia in the year 1793, my mind was secretly 
drawn to visit those who had the disease ; but a 

before going into battle, that their minds might be the 
more infuriated : and thus men were hurried into eternity 
in this state. He very justly observed that intoxicating 
liquors inflamed the worst passions of men, and led 
them on to the commission of crimes, which in moments 
of sober reflection they would abhor. 



JACOB RITTER. 



38 



great conflict between my fears as a man, and 
my duties as a Christian arose, till at lengthl de- 
termined to put my trust in God, and venture my 
life in the cause of suffering humanity. As I 
was going out of the house, my wife said to me, 
" Now don't thee go among the fever." I made 
her no reply, but walked down to the residence 
of a friend who lay ill with the fever. When 
I got to his door, nature prevailed, and I passed 
by ; but before I had gone many steps, great dis- 
tress fell upon me for my disobedience, and I 
then gave up to do whatever the Lord required 
of me. So I returned to the house and entered 
the sick man's chamber. I found him in the great- 
est extremity, but the power of the Almighty 
overshadowed me, and I had faith to believe he 
would be raised, which he afterwards was, and is 
living at this day. When I had performed the 
services I had been sent to do, I left him and 
returned to my home in great peace. 

My wife immediately perceived the smell of 
the yellow fever was upon me, and taxed me 
with having been among it. I did not attempt to 
deny it, but told her I had done so in obedience 
to Divine command : " well then,'' said she, " I 
5 



34 



MEMOIRS OF 



submit ;" and from that time I visited all the 
sick I could, both Friends and others, rich and 
poor, and administered such consolation and as- 
sistance as the good Master put in my heart. — 
Many of the Lutherans who looked shy at me 
after I had left their Society, now they were 
brought into affliction, received me gladly ; and 
my confidence was strong in the Lord. At one 
place, I found the husband lying very ill and his 
young wife standing beside him. He stretched 
out his hand towards me, and said he was glad 
to see me, that he was aware his end was near, 
but that he should die in peace with God and all 
men. I spoke what was on my mind to him, 
when, taking my hand, he said, "Jacob, farewell ! 
we shall never more see each other until we meet 
in Heaven, but be thou faithful unto death, and 
thou shalt receive a crown of life.'^ I left him, 
and the next morning called again to inquire 
about him. His poor wife, with two little chil- 
dren, when she saw me, put her hands on her 
head, and bowing herself in anguish of spirit, 
cried out, " My husband is gone forever, thou 
sawest him last night, and now he is under the 
ground.'* 



i 



JACOB RITTER, 



35 



My heart was moved at her distress, and I felt 
more than I could well bear. I might relate 
many more affecting circimistances which I saw 
during this awful visitation, but in order to be 
brief, I let them pass. But one event now oc- 
curs to my recollection which perhaps I had bet- 
ter mention. 

As I was going along the street one day, I 
saw a corpse brought to the Friends' burying 
ground, and only one Friend^ following it. I 
joined him and we proceeded to the grave. He 
stood on one side of it, and I on the other, while 
the corpse was buried. We parted at the gate 
( of the grave-yard, and each went to his own 
; home, and we were both taken ill w^th the fever. 

I While I lay sick, expecting nothing but death, a 
!man came to my bed-side and told me the Friend 
I above alluded to was dead and buried. When I 
[heard this, great weight fell upon me, and T 
I thought I must die too; but suddenly my mind 
was raised, and I was again favored to have a 
transporting vievf of the heavenly land. I be- 

* Daniel Offley, an eminent minister, for an account 
laf whom, see Friend?' Miscellany. — Ed. 



36 



MEMOIRS OF 



held the garden of Eden, and saw many persons 
dressed in glorious habits, walking to and fro 
among the trees w^hich were loaded with fruits 
and flowers ; numerous birds w^ere singing among 
the branches, and all w^as peace and happiness. 
As I stood by the gate, much wishing that I 
might dwell in the garden also, I saw the 
Friend above alluded to walking among those 
glorious inhabitants : he advanced towards me 
and I perceived he looked very fresh and fair.— 
He said to me, " Jacob, the people say I am 
dead, but thou seest me here alive and perfectly 
happy." Then a delicious odour and pure air 
came from the garden and passed quite through 
me, and I heard a voice say to me, " Thou shalt 
not die at this time, thy work is not yet done.'^ 
My ears w^ere then filled with the same delightful 
harmony that I had before a sense of, and the 
praises of the Lord were sounded throughout 
that happy land. When I came to myself,! 
found my r wife leaning over me to ascertain 
whether I breathed. I soon revived, and began to 
recover from that time. 

My dear wife continued to accompany me to 
meetings for some time, and was concerned to 
speak a few words in them, and in the last one 



JACOB RITTER. 37 

she attended, she mentioned in German the para- 
ble of the prodigal. About this time she told 
me she thought she should leave me before long ; 
tTiat she saw her end was approaching ; that 
she believed her peace was made with her Crea- 
tor, and soon afterwards she was taken ill. A 
little while before she died, she called me and 
the children to her, and after tenderly commend- 
ing them to my care, she foretold their future 
history, which I have lived to see fully verified 
in every particular except one ; then taking me 
by the hand, told me, she had seen in the clear- 
ness of the light of truth that many trials await- 
ed me : " but be thou faithful unto death and thou 
shalt receive the crow^n of life, which is laid up 
in store for thee, and for all them that love the 
appearance of Jesus Christ.'^ She then bid 
the children one by one and myself, an affection- 
ate farewell. '' Now," said she, '' I go,'" and 
immediately leaned her head back on her pillow, 
and died. 

While a widower, I went regularly to Friends' 
meetings, and many were my trials and exerci- 
ses, both inwardly and outwardly. It woidd 
often occur to my mind as I sat in meeting, that 
when I was a prisoner in the revolutionary war, 



38 



MEMOIRS OF 



I had vowed revenge upon those EngUshmen 
and Hessians^ who had so cruelly beaten and 
abused me, and I would secretly petition my 
Heavenly Father to enable me to forgive them, 
and to point out some way to overcome those 
feelings . 

One night it appeared to me that I stood in 
my rank in the army, with my gun on my 
shoulder and when I remembered that I belong- 
ed to Friends' Society whose principle was 
peace to all mankind, I thought how inconsistent 
it was for me still to w^ear regimentals, and carry 
my weapons of w^ar. I then looked round to 
see how I could get clear, and there seemed to 
be no other way, than to throw down my arms, 
and desert ; this I accordingly did, and as I ran 
an officer called out, " there is a man deserting, 
but let him alone, a faithful sentinel is on 
his way, who will stop him and bring him up, 
and then we will pay him soundly." 

I heard these words, but dared not turn out of 
my way to the right or left to escape the threat- 
ened danger. So when I came to the sentry- 
box, a soldier in a red coat leveled his musket at 
me, and bid me stop, for he must bring me back 



JACOB RITTER. 39 

to the army. I heeded hun not, but, making a 
sudden spring forward, passed him, and he fired 
upon me ; I felt the bullet strike my back, but 
was not wounded. So I ran on until I was too 
tired to run any further, and, laying myself un- 
der an oak tree, fell asleep. 

When I awoke, methought I found myself in 
great darkness, and was at a loss to know what 
to do, when suddenly I saw a great light before 
me, and was commanded to arise and follow that 
light. I did so, and it led me safely ; for I ob- 
served that wherever my road was rough and 
difficult, the blessed light drew near, and distinct- 
ly showed me how to step ; and when the path 
was good, it removed to a greater distance be- 
fore me. Thus travelling forward I was led 
down hill in order to pass over a frightful desert : 
the light now hovered about my head, and shed 
such a brightness on my path that I could dis- 
tinctly see numberless reptiles, and noxious ver-'' 
min about my feet, but they fled from the light 
and hid themselves, and I stepped from one sod 
to another unhurt, and thus got safely over this 
dismal place. 

My guiding light now began to ascend a hill 



40 MEMOIRS OF 

and I followed it ; but I was now so wearied 
with my long travels, that I was obliged to climb 
up the mountain on my hands and feet. 

When the vision was gone I came to myself, 
and was sensible that the Christian principle in 
my own breast had entirely overcome that spirit 
of war and revenge, which had so long troubled 
me, even in meetings ; and I was enabled to for- 
give my enemies, even those who had so greatly 
abused me while I was a prisoner wholly in their 
power, and unable to defend myself. Yes ! and 
I forgave them from my very heart, loved them 
freely, and could have received them as brothers. 
Oh ! the power of this redeeming principle in the 
soul of man. 

In the spring of 1794, I removed vrith my 
motherless children to Springfield where I had 
bought a smiill farm, hoping my trials and temp- 
tations would be less in the country than in the 
city ; but when settled on my farm, I found the 
tempter was the same in every place. I attend- 
ed Richland meeting, having to walk five miles to' 
get there. 

Oftentimes a concern rested on my mind, to 



JACOB RITTER. 41 

open my mouth in meeting, to declare the deal- 
ings of the Lord to his poor servant, though in a 
few wordsand in a broken manner; and as I stood 
faithful to the pure principle in my own breast, 
I was favored to experience peace, and had also 
the unity and sympathy of Friends. 

When Friends first proposed recommending 
me as a minister to the Quarterly meeting of 
Ministers and Elders, I begged of them not to 
do so, for I felt myself a poor, dumb man, unfit 
for the service. So it was put off nearly a year, 
and I continued in my low and humble appear- 
ances as before. Then the matter was proposed 
to me again : I told them I had rather not, but 
at length submitted to the judgment of my 
friends ; and when they insisted on my taking a 
seat in the upper gallery, I did it with great re- 
luctance, my mind being covered with fear and 
solemnity whenever I sat down therein. 

I mention this little circumstance not to boast 
of my humility, but because I believe the cause 
of Truth has at times suffered loss by its pro- 
fessors being too forward. 

In the year 1802, I married Ann Williams of 



42 



MEMOIRS OF 



Buckingham, and soon afterwards we concluded 
to remove into a neighbourhood more thickly 
settled by Friends, and accordingly I sold my 
farm at Richland and bought one at Plymouth, 
to which latter place I removed with my family 
in the spring of 1812. From that time to the 
present year (1827) I have dwelt pretty much 
in quiet, receiving all who came to my house ; 
turning none away ; until now, divisions and 
rents have arisen among Friends, and many of 
my fellow-professors have turned their backs 
upon the galleries, because of disputes about 
faith and doctrine. Now I am clear in the be- 
lief that had we all attended faithfully to the 
pure principle of light and life in our hearts and' 
minds, these disputes and divisions would not 
have been among us, and I am convinced, that 
we never shall get back to the unity of the spirit 
in the bond of peace until we settle down in the 
everlasting silence, to the saving and redeeming 
principle in our own hearts ; and blessed is he 
who attends strictly to its divine instructions and 
reproofs, which are the way of life and salva- 
tion. 



Here the journal of Jacob Ritter, as left by 
himself, closes. The last twenty-eight years of 



JACOB RITTER. 43 

his life he resided at Plymouth, a branch of 
Gwynedd Monthly meeting, in Montgomery co. 
Pennsylvania. Some of us being intimately ac- 
quainted with him, and frequently in his compa- 
ny, have heard him relate many interesting oc- 
currences that are not mentioned in his Journal ; 
and it was thought best to annex these to the 
foregoing account. 

In his ministry, Jacob Ritter seldom mentioned 
the sacred name, and when he did, it was w^th 
awe and reverence. He abounded in original 
ideas, and illustrated the subject before him from 
familiar objects of creation. His disposition was 
meek and unassuming. In humility and self- 
denial, he was exemplary : and after passing 
through many trials, he became so much redeemed 
from the world, and the spirit of human policy, 
that it is believed he never exercised the right of 
suffrage so far as to attend an election. 

It is not recollected that he ever appeared in 
public vocal supplication, but in his appearances 
in the ministry, he frequently adverted to 
the duty and advantages of silent inw^ard 
prayer, 



44 



MEMOIRS OF 



In his person he was neat and clean, his dress 
was generally of a light color ; his conversation 
was cheerful and mixed with gravity. In com- 
pany he frequently related anecdotes with which 
his memory was abundantly stored, and they sel- 
dom failed to attract attention, while they were 
fraught with interest and instruction, especially 
to young people. 

His wife died about three years and nine 
months before him, by w'^hich he sustained an ir- 
reparable loss. She was a true help-mate to 
him ; a valuable elder of our Monthly meeting 
during most of the time she resided among us, 
and frequently travelled with him. A short 
time before her decease, he paid a visit to a num- 
ber of Friends at Gwynedd, and in one of the 
families he said : " When I was young, I had a 
wife and I loved her, but I hardly knew her , 
worth ; and now I am old, my wife feels more j 
precious to me every hour.'^ 

A few days before her decease, he dreamed he 
saw his staff, (a favourite cane he had cut in the 
woods, and had used nearly forty years,) lying 
broken on the floor ; this dream troubled him ; 
when he awoke he found his wife, who had risen 



JACOB RITTER. 45 

early, returning to bed with a chill and a pain 
in her bones that she said " struck at her life :" 
he immediately thought of his broken staff, but 
did not mention it to her. She died in a few 
days, and the dream was aiiectingly realized in 
the loss of his wdfe, who had been a staff, a 
faithful and an affectionate companion to him 
for nearly forty years. She died on the seven- 
teenth of the third-month, 1838. 

In a Friend's family not long before his decease, 
he related some circumstances that took place on 
the battle-ground at Chadsford w^hen he was 
in the army. He said he had been very recent- 
ly on the ground, and saw the hills, the rocks 
and the trees that brought back the remembrance 
of the awful scene he w^itnessed, w^hen the deso- 
lations of war were around him, when the shrieks 
of the wounded and the groans of the dying w^ere 
ringing in his ears. He shed tears at the recital 
of this melancholy picture of human carnage. 

In conversation he frequently related the 
events of that day, with expressions of gratitude 
to the Father of mercies, who then clearly showed 
to him the sinfulness of all wars and fightings, 



46 MEMOIRS OF 

who took away all fear of man from him ; who 
plucked him as a brand from the burning ; and 
led him safely along through deep suifering. 

After the death of his wife he was very lone- 
ly, but continued for the rest of his days diligent 
in attending meetings both for worship and dis- 
cipline, and occasionally visited his friends and 
neighbors, imparting counsel and encouragement 
to them as the way opened. 

A few months before his decease, he visited his 
brothers at Springfield, and many of his former 
neighbors and friends with whom he had reli- 
gious opportunities. On his return home, he 
tarried several days at Richland, visiting Friends 
and others. He attended meeting there, in which 
he delivered the following communication : 

'^ Since I have been sitting amongst you this 
morning, dear friends, I have remembered some- 
thing that I don't know I have thought of for 
seventy years. When I was a little boy about 
ten years old, I used to like to go to meetings 
sometimes. One first-day morning, I asked my 
father if I might not go with some of my com- 



JACOB RITTER. 47 

rades, neighbouring boys, to Quaker meeting. 
He said, "for what would you go to their meet- 
ing ? — they don't have any preaching, they just 
sit still.'' 

But still I wished to go; "well/' said he, " go; 
but mind and behave yourself." So I set oiF, and 
walked about five miles barefooted: when I came 
to the meeting, it was late ; all the people w^ere 
in. I w^ent in, and sat dow^n behind the door. 
I looked round ; the people appeared so serious 
and solemn, that it brought good feelings to my 
mind, though there was no preaching. Oh! the 
good feelings I experienced ! so that when 
meeting broke up, I felt as if I could sit still an 
hour longer. 

If the children, — the dear children, w^ould but 
be still and try to w^ait on the Lord in the truth, 
he w^ould in mercy draw near to them ; for he loves 
little children, and sometimes graciously visits 
them, I believe, at a very early age. When I 
came home, my father said, " w^ell, did the Qua- 
kers preach?" I said, "no, but there are good feel- 
ings amongst them that are better than preach- 



48 MEMOIRS OF 

ing ; we have no such good feehngs in our meet- 
ings.'^ 

From the period above mentioned until his en- 
trance into the army, it is not recollected that he 
related much in the order of time, that is not con- 
tained in his journal. In this school of adversi- 
ty, his mind became stored with a number of an- 
ecdotes, some of which he related in meetings 
and others by the fire-side, with considerable 
force and interest. 

On one occasion, he said, a young man was 
brought into the army and required to perform 
military duty; he said, he could not fight, for he 
was a Quaker. The presiding officer replied, 
^^ But you are no Quaker for you have not the 
^ cooterments,'" (accoutrements). The young 
man then produced some written credentials by 
which he proved his right of membership. The 
officer now called for a shears that he might 
trim him ; and so he cut off his capes and his 
lappels, and sitch a hair tail he had behind^ 
(a cue) and then said to him, " now you may go, 
now you look more like a Quaker." 



1 



JACOB RITTER. 



49 



Jacob related this anecdote in a Monthly meet- 
ing when the subject of " plainness, &c./^ was 
under review, and went on to show that in the 
army it was considered an act of gross misbeha- 
viour and insubordination, for a man to wear any 
other uniform than that which accorded with 
his rank, and the company to which he belonged ; 
that the young man would have been saved a 
great deal of chagrin, had his " cooterments" 
corresponded with his profession ; that the offi- 
cer could not understand why he appeared in a 
dress having in many respects the semblance of 
a military garb, professing at the same time the 
peaceable principles of Friends. 

He drew a very sensible conclusion from this 
anecdote, viz. — that " plainness of speech and 
simplicity of apparel' ' were a much greater pro- 
tection to Friends than many were aware of; 
that the most correct and honorable people of 
the world could not view^ a Friend, swerving 
from the principles of his profession, in any other 
light than that in which the officer regarded the 
individual above mentioned. 

Jacob Ritter was a bright example to his 

7 



MEMOIRS OF 

friends and neighbors in the faithful support of 
our testimony to plainness in dress, furniture, and 
equipage, and he agreed with many others, that | 
plainness in these respects consisted in " the 
greatest degree of usefulness, comfort, and con- 
venience, obtained with the least degree of labor 
and expense/"' 

About the middle of the ninth-month, 1777, 
he was taken prisoner as before related. The 
weather was cold, the glass in the jail windows 
was broken out, and he was compelled to lodge 
on the bare ground, almost literally without food 
and clothing. Many of his fellow-prisoners ac- 
tually starved to death, and some of them died 
with a little grass half chewed in their mouths.* 



* This affecting circumstance is forcibly alluded to in 
a letter published in 1778, and addressed by Francis 
Hopkinson, one of the signers of the declaration of 
American Independence, to Joseph Galloway. In this let- 
ter, which contains a severe rebuke of the conduct of the 
latter individual, the writer thus expresses himself: "you 
sit down daily to a board spread with more than plenty, 
and know with unconcern that numbers of your coun- 
trymen, even some of your former acquaintances are suf- 



JACOB RITTER. 51 

He was applied to by one poor prisoner, who 
said his end was near, if he could not get some 
relief. Having with great difficulty procured a 
cracker, Jacob told him to take a little at a time 
well soaked in water ; this was done, and the 
man revived, and several years afterwards, as Ja- 
cob was passing, this person came out of his 
house and addressed him in this manner : '' you 
are the man that saved my life in prison with a 
cracker ! come in, for I owe my life to you, I 

^vill make you all the compensation in my 
power.'^ 

Jacob said, '' I looked at him, and remembered 
him, but I could not take any reward ; and after 
w^e had talked a while about our sufferings in 
prison, and about our release, and how we fared, 
we both burst into a flood of tears, and parted in 
great tenderness.'^ 

But to return,^he said, " one day a family in 
Philadelphia, knowing of our sufferings, sent us 

fering all the lingering anguish of absolute famine in the 
jails of this city." " You well know that they have 
plucked the weeds of the earth for food, and expired with 
the unchewed grass in their mouths, &c." 



0^ MEMOIRS OF 

a large tub filled with warm soup ; and the keep- 
er of the prison^ who was a very hard-hearted 
man, instead of dividing it among us, poured it i 
on the ground in the jail yard, and laughed when 
he saw the prisoners fall down and lick up the 
soup like dogs." " One day I saw a plain look- I 
ing Friend step up to the prison door with a pa- I 
per in his hand, and ask the turnkey, ' is Jacob 
Ritter in prison'? ' There are nine hundred men 
here, was the answer, I don't know Jacob Ritter.' 
I then stepped up, and said, ' I am Jacob Ritter;' 
he said to me, ' well, Jacob ! what wouldst thou 
say, if I should set thee at liberty?' I said, ' Oh ! 
Oh I I would be very glad.' He then handed 
the paper to the turnkey, who, looking at it, un- 
locked the iron gate, and said to me, ' there, now 
begone about your business.' I felt new life 
spring in me, I jumped off the steps, and went 
to one of my relations in town ; but don't know 
to this day, the name of the Friend who was in- 
strumental in my release ; he seemed like an an- 
gel that had come to let me out.^ 



* It is probable that Galloway and General Howe al- 
lowed some Friend to transact the-business for them after 
Galloway had signed the petition, as mentioned in these 
Memoirs, page 19. 



JACOB RITTER. 



53 



My relations were very kind to me and gave 
me food and clothing until my strength returned. 
And after I had done what I could in the way 
of bodily labor to reward them for their kindness, 
I went home to Springfield, where they were 
all very glad to see me, for they thought I was 
dead, but my mother kept the faith and would 
say, " I shall see my child again/' 

Soon after his removal to Philadelphia, he was 
under great exercise of mind concerning his reli- 
gious duty, and inwardly concerned in prayer, 
that he might be rightly directed. 

He said, " while under this exercise of mind I 
had a dream or vision, in which I saw at some 
distance before me a temple, or strong tower 
standing in the light ; while I was looking and 
wondering what it was, there was one who told 
me " the name of the Lord is a strong tower, 
the righteous flee thereunto and are safe.'' So I 
got a ladder and tried to get in at the upper sto- 
ry, but I found no entering place there. I 
moved the ladder and tried to get in at the next 
story below, but found I could not. I tried 
again at the next story, but still could not get in. 



54 



MEMOIRS OF 



I then tried on a level with the ground, and walk- 
ed all round the tower but could find no entering 
place ; I now began to feel great uneasiness, 
fearing I was unworthy and could not get in at 
all. 

" While I was musing, it sprang up clear in 
my mind, that the way to get in, was to go 
down into the basement story, so I went down 
and found the way without difficulty, and when 
inside I found there was a way to get up.' 



??* 



* In relating this and other instances of a similiar 
kind, he would say : *'It was a dream oi a vision, but I 
believe it was a vision." I prefer the latter name, because 
vision is a more definite term than dream, and literally 
means a sight orperception, whether ocular or mental. If 
the object of perception addresses itself to the outward 
senses, we see it with the outward eye, and obtain what 
is called ocular demonstration. If it addresses itself to 
the understanding, we examine it by the mental eye, or 
the eye of reason, and thus we may arrive at certainty 
in this, no less than in the former case. If the object of 
perception be supernatural, or such as our natural powers of 
mind alone cannot comprehend, we require a superadded 
means of vision. For "what man knoweth the things 
of a man save the spirit of man which is in him? even 
so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of 
God." No man could ever have known anything more 



JACOB RITTER. 55 

" Soon after this I had many trials : the offi- 
cers of the church were roused up against me, 
and the members were full of arguments. One 
day as I was passing through the market, I met 
one of them, who w^as full of zeal ; he got very 
warm, and was angry because I went to the 
Quakers. I thought he would have struck me 
in the face, and this made me also feel a little 
warm, but I happened to look down and saw my 

than the thinors of man were it aotthat a measure of the 
Divine spirit "is given to every man to profit withal." By 
this spirit we have a clear vision or perception concerning 
Divine things and it reveals or makes known unto us 
our duty to God and our fellow-man. But dreams are 
generally the reverse of all this, being for the most part of 
a vague and indeterminate character, without clearness 
or certainty ; and yet none, perhaps, will call in question 
George Fox's definition of dreams. He says in sub- 
stance that they are of three kinds,viz : " The revelations 
of the Divine Spirit to man in sleep; the workings of the 
imagination when the mind is overcharged with tempor- 
al business, and the temptations or whisperings of Sa- 
tan." But it is evident that a divine discernment or a 
supernatural power of vision is requisite to enable us to 
make a proper distinction with respect to those several 
kinds of dreams, and the true followers of Christ will 
doubtless be furnished with this necessary gift, or qualifi- 
cation. " Blessed are your eyes for they see (or hare 
«ound vision) and your ears for they hear."Mat.xiii 16. Ed^ 



56 MEMOIRS OF 

own fist was shut, so I passed away as soon as 
I could, and this was a lesson for me to take 
care and not get into disputes about religion.'^ 

" One day when I came home from Friends' 
meeting, I found some of the church Elders at 
my house ; they said they came to beat me out 
of the silly notion of going to Quaker meeting : 
they were full of talk and used many arguments 
to prove that I had better keep to the faith in 
which I had been educated ; that I would be 
greatly deceived if I went to the Quakers. 

I said but little as I had no life in disputing, 
so after dinner, I went away to lie down, leav- 
ing them to talk with my wife. J felt very much 
tried because my wife was troubled, and did not 
like me to go to Friends' meeting, though I had 
been there but a few times. So 1 found it would 
be best to say but little, and try to be still, and 
had faith to believe that a way would be opened 
for me in the clearness. 

I soon fell into a sound sleep, and just as ) 
was waking up, I thought T saw a grave looking. 
Friend come to my bedside and call aloud tome, 
saying, ^ arise Jacob and go to meeting,' it h 



JACOB RITTER. 57 

quite time, and be not faithless but believing.'^ I 
jumped up quickly, and heard the clock strike four. 
It was an a first-day afternoon, and the meeting 
was generally gathered : so I stepped into the 
room, and found the church officers still talking 
with my w^fe ^ but now they began to talk to 
me, and w^hen they saw me take down my hat 
w^hich was hanging on a peg, they talked very 
foud. I said nothing at all, but left them and 
walked off to meeting as fast as I could, and 
oh ! what a precious meeting it was. I felt the 
reward of sweet peace for obedience. ^ 

'' When the elders of the church found I was 
fixed in my mind to go to Friends' meetings, 
they gave me up, and after a while disowned me. 
About this time, William Savery took notice of 
me; he would come and sit by me, when I was at 
work, and was a strength to me ; I told him I 
now felt peace, and believed I was safe. He said, 
' Oh ! Jacob, thy work is only pretty well be- 
gun yet, but keep in good heart, keep the faith.* 

*^ At length I felt it my duty to apply to be 
received into membership with Friends : this was 
a great trial to me, I tried to think it would 

8 



58 MEMOIRS OF 

be enough to keep steady to meetings, and live an 
orderly life, but I could not feel easy, — so I took 
up the cross and applied, and Friends sent a 
committee to visit me.'* 

^^ They came a great many times to see me, 
but did not say much, passing most of the time 
of their visits in silence ; my ca^^e vvras in the 
meeting about two years, so that I was fearful J 
was not worthy to be a member. I told William 
Savery one day, ' I thought Friends were very 
slow;' he^aid, ^ never mind, Jacob, all is right 
enough, keep the patience, thou art just as well 
off as if thou wast a member/ 



" When Friends informed me I was a member, 
and invited me to meetings for discipline, I 
thought, surely my work was done, that I had 
now got into the tower I saw in my vision 
attended meetings diligently, and felt great in 
ward peace." 



\i 



" One day, while sitting in a meeting of wor- 
ship, I felt a few words spring up in my mind to 
speak ; but I let in the reasoner, and pleaded 
within myself that I was very ignorant, and 



JACOB RITTER. 59 

was imperfect in the English language. So I 
put it by, but oh I the darkness and horror that 
took hold of my mind ; I felt the terrors of the 
Lord for disobedience, and was fearful I was 
now forsaken, and should no more feel the re- 
ward of obedience: I cried inwardly to the 
Lord, that if he would not forsake me, I would 
be more faithful in time to come. So one day 
while sitting on the back seat in the Bank meet- 
ifl§','my good Master came to me again, and gave 
me a few words to speak. I felt very fearful — 
nature began to shrink, and my heart seemed to 
come up in my mouth, and I trembled ; but af- 
ter a while, I stood up and said a word or two, 
and the people began to look hack, hack, all over 
the house at me, to see where the words came from, 
and it frightened me so that I poured it on them 
in Dutch.'' 

" When the meeting was over, I went away 
as soon as I could, and kept out of sight for a 
while as much as possible, but one day I saw 
two young men getting into a gig, who laughed 
out loud, and said, " there goes the man that 
preached to us in Dutch;'^ — so I felt discouraged, 
but William Savery came to see me, and said, 



60 



MEMOIRS OF 



' Jacob, thou preaches to us in Dutch, cans't thou 
not preach in Enghsh, we can't understand 
Dutch:' I said ^ my Enghsh is very imperfect/ 
he said, ^ but thou can try Jacob, I want thee 
next time to try and preach in Enghsh as well as 
thou can/ ^ So the next time Isphoke so well as 
I coot, part Tutch and part English,^ Oh ! what 
comfort I felt ; Friends were very kind to me ; 
they did not tell me not to speak at all, which I 
expected, but told me to do as well as I could, 
and I received great encouragement from time to 
time from William Savery." 

It appears from his Journal that in the spring 
of 1794, he removed with his motherless child- 
ren to Springfield, (the place of his nativity,) 
hoping his trials would be less in a retired part 
of the country than in the large city of Phila- 
delphia, where his children were much exposed 
to many temptations ; though, as he frequently 
said, he was well aware that his prospects and 
profits in business at this time, would be likely 
to suffer loss by his removal. 

He added further, " my trials were many both 
outwardly and in a spiritual sense ; several good 



, 



JACOB RITTER. 61 

horses that I had died one after another, besides 
many other losses I met with, so that I had a 
great deal to do with the w^heelbarrow and the 
grubbing hoe. I had also to walk five miles to 
meeting. 

I was for several years much discouraged, but 
as I kept humble and low, trusting to the care 
of my Divine master, I was preserved from mur- 
muring. So, after some years, my circumstances 
began to mend, and I believed in the truth of the 
Apostle's testimony, that " bodily exercise pro- 
fiteth little : but godliness is profitable unto all 
things, having promise of the life that now is, 
and of that which is to come.'''^ 

The following occurrence may perhaps be in- 
serted in this place. 

During the sittings of one of our Yearly Meet- 
ings, he attended at one of the houses opened for 
public worship on fifth-day — the house was 
crowded. The time of the meeting was occu- 
pied by two Friends in the ministry who in- 
dulged in tiresome repetitions, evidently to the 
disadvantage and unsettlement of the meeting. 
Jacob w^as very much tried. After meeting, on 
going to a Friend's house, he found a large com- 
* 1 Tim. iv. 8. 



62 MEMOIRS OF 

pany, and the two preachers above alluded to. 
The latter had heard of Jacob Ritter and were 
desirous to see him, and to be informed of some 
of the shigular events of his life from his own 
lips. After dinner, the company being collected, 
he related some anecdotes that attracted great 
attention, and, keeping to his exercise about the 
meeting in the morning, proceeded as follows : 

'' After I had passed through many exercises 
and deep provings in the army, way was made 
for me gradually, until I became a member of 
the Society of Friends ; then I thought I had 
got to the root, and foundation, and spring of life, 
but I found I wanted experimental knowledge ; 
so I had to pass through the furnace again, and 
I had many trials and deep provings. My wife 
died, and I went with my little motherless child- 
ren into the country and began farming, where I 
endured many hardships. 

I cleared a piece of new land, and found a 
great deal of rubbish on it. I cut down the trees 
and hauled them off, but had to leave the stumps 
and the long roots in the ground. I had a great 
deal to do with my grubbing hoe to dig up the 



JACOB RITTER. 63 

bushes and the underwood, and ploughed my 
land as well as I could. 

I have thought sometimes a farmer may learn 
a great deal in a spiritual sense, for our hearts 
must he cleared of a great deal of rubbish before 
they are fit to receive the good seed of the king- 
dom. Now after I had ploughed and harrowed 
my land, I sowed it w^ith good seed, and it soon 
sprung up : bnt my work was not yet done, for 
I had to watch it, and fence it in. My land pro- 
duced well, and I felt thankful. 

As I could see several days before harvest 
when my grain would be ripe, I went out and 
engaged my reapers ; I fixed the day when 
they should come and reap down my harvest ; 
so we reaped it and bound it up, and shocked it, 
and I had a good crop, and after it had stood a 
while in the shock to season, we hauled it to the 
barn and put it away ; we gleaned it with the 
rake, and hauled in the gleanings, and threshed 
them out : J^ow if I had told my reapers to go 
and reap my field again, they would have thought 
I was crazy. ^^* 

* The lesson inculcated in this instance is similar to 
the pithy advice given by a distinguished person, the 



64 MEMOIRS OP 

The hint appeared to be well understood ; all 
could comprehend that there was a reference to 
the occurrences of the morning ; the force of the 
apphcation was the more sensibly felt from the 
fact that it v/as kept in reserve for the last words 
while the story was related in free and pleasant 
conversation, and all were waiting attentively 
to learn what he would make of his farming an- 
ecdote. 

Jacob Ritter seldom travelled long journeys 
in the w^ork of the ministry, but whenever it 
was required he cheerfully gave up his time to 
the service of Truth. He was a dihgent attender 
of meetings both for worship and discipline, and, 
while industrious in his outward calling, his pri- 

late John Witherspoon, Avhen principal of Princeton Col- 
lege, to Several students who had completed their educa- 
tion,and were about to receive his farewell address on their 
leaving school to enter upon the duties of their seveial 
professions. He said to them, "Boys, I foresee that 
some of you will become distinguished in the pulpit and 
others at the bar. In relation to public speaking, I have 
one charge to give you which I hope you will ah\ ays care 
fully observe, that is, before you speak, be sure you have 
something to say, and always mind to stop when you 
are done." 



JACOB HITTER. 



65 



mary concern was to seek first the " kingdom of 
God and his righteousness." 

,-* 

While he resided at Springfiekl, he accompani- 
ed James Simpson on a religious visit. On their 
return home, James appointed a meeting at 
Easton : they put up at a public house, and Ja- 
cob undertook to make arrangements for the 
meeting ; for this purpose the court house was 
obtained, though not without some opposition 
from one influential individual. 

James, who was probably aware that there 
had been some difficulty about the meeting, and 
seeing the people assemble in crowds, became 
very much depressed ; he sat for a while in the 
chimney corner, questioning the rectitude of his 
proceeding in appointing the meeting : in this 
state of feeling, he ordered his horse to be putto 
the carriage, and, like the prophet Jonah, was 
going to flee from the word of the Lord. 

At this critical juncture, Jacob arrived and in- 
quired of the ostler, ^what does this mean V The 
reply was, — ^^ the gentleman ordered his horse,'' 
" well, I order him back again,'' said Jacob. The 
9 



66 MEMOIRS OF 

horse was put away, and when Jacob walked in, 
he found James, who was under a great weight 
of exercise, preparing to go ; he was very glad 
to see Jacob, and wished him to take charge of 
the meeting. 

Jacob said, "that wont do, James, but thou must 
go to the meeting thou hast appointed, and I 
will go with thee.^^ James said " thou must do 
the preaching then, for I cannot.'^ Jacob replied, 
^' never mind about the preaching, nobody has 
asked thee to preach, but let us go to meeting, 
that is the first thing to be done.'' 

James went in great fear and trembling, and 
Jacob felt brotherly sympathy with him; for 
some time, James sat with his head bowed almost 
to his knees ; but at length light sprang up, 
and he was enabled to proclaim the truth in the 
demonstration of the spirit and with great power, 
and the meeting concluded under a solemn cov- 
ering. 

The individual who had thrown difficulty in 
the way of appointing the meeting, was now 
so changed in his feehngs that he gave the 



JACOB RITTER. 67 

Friends a pressing invitation to dine with 
him ; but Jacob said, " no, thee throwed cold 
water on this concern in the beginning, and now 
we must go to the pubhc house for our dinner." 

After dinner they passed quietly away, " re- 
joicing for the consolation"^ which they felt for 
this little act of dedication, and when they had 
ascended an eminence out of sight of the peo- 
ple but within full view of the town, James 
stopped his carriage, and, looking back, exclaim- 
ed, " Oh ! Easton, Easton, thou hast had a 
broad-side to-day." Jacob replied, " Ah ! thou 
can brag now, but remember how it was a while 
ago in that chimney corner." 

In the spring of 1012, he removed with his 
family to Plymouth ; he had been in search of a 
place for a considerable length of time, seeking 
after the mind of truth in so important a step 
as a change of residence. He at length agreed 
with Thomas Corson, and purchased his farm, 
about a mile and a half from Plymouth meeting 
house. 

* Acts 15. 31. 



68 



MEMOIRS OF 



Thomas removed to Whiteland in Chester 
county, and soon after he and his wife joined with 
Friends and became valuable members of our 
Society. From remarks made by Thomas Cor- 
son, it is beheved that his intercourse wdth Jacob 
Ritter on this occasion, and the strong impres- 
sion which he received of the sterling integrity 
and uprightness of the latter, were means of 
awakening convictions in his mind, and of indu- 
cing him to look towards being united in 
church fellowship wdth Friends. 

During the time of his residence at Plymouth, 
Jacob Ritter attended an appointed meeting 
on a first-day afternoon in a neighbourhood of 
Germans in Toamensing, about fourteen miles 
from his home ; here a large number of aged 
people, mostly Germans, attended, many of w^hom 
understood but little English. 

After a time of silence, he stood up and recited 
in Dutch a few w^ords from the scriptures. — 
Here, as in the case of Paul when he spoke in 
the Hebrew language, the people kept the more 
silence. He spoke for a long time fluently, and 
pathetically ; some who understood him said it 



JACOB RITTER. 69 

was the most eloquent and impressive discourse 
they had ever heard. He was evidently not 
under any difficulty and embarrassment for 
words, as was frequently the case when he 
spoke in English. His communication, a por- 
tion of which had reference to his sufferings in 
the army and from which he took occasion to de- 
scribe the horrors of war, drew tears copiously 
from many eyes apparently unaccustomed to shed 
them. After the meeting had concluded, the old 
Germans, men and women, gathered round him 
and conversed \vith him freely and affectionately 
in their mother tongue. 

On a certain occasion, a very zealous profes- 
sor of religion remarked to Jacob " that the 
world of mankind had lapsed into a state of 
great degeneracy, that many thousands were 
hurled into the vortex of eternal ruin ; that the 
Lord had a harvest, and the harvest was great, but 
the laborers were few The few, he said, were 
too idle ; it was high time they should be up, and 
a doing, up and a doi7ig, doings doing ! that he 
saw clearly the blood of the ruined would be 
upon the heads of the idle laborers/' 



70 MEMOIRS OF 

" Ah V^ said Jacob, " we are in great danger 
of running where we are not sent ; of doing that 
which we ought not to do ; and of leaving un- 
done that which we ought to do. Our salvation 
depends upon a true and hving faith in the son 
of God, who said, ^ ye are my friends if you do 
whatsoever things I command you.' He surely 
knows best what we should do, and when we 
should do it : this has always been the doctrine 
of Friends. Now suppose the Lord of the har- 
vest calls a man to reap in his harvest on a given 
day ; but he who is thus called thinks it is a 
weighty matter and has a great many things tof 
do first, and, like Martha, is cumbered about much* 
serving ; so he lets the right time slip. By and 
by, he shoulders his sickle and goes out into 
the field after harvest, what is he then to do ? 
he can only reap stubble. But suppose he is a 
very doing man, and he takes his scythe and cra- 
dle and goes into the field before the Lord of 
the harvest had told him to go, and he tashes in- 
to the wheat before it is ripe, he toze mishtuf 
and the Lord says to him, '^ where are thy orders, 
who hath required this thing at thy hands ?" 
The professor was silenced, having met with a 



JACOB RITTER. 71 

mouth and wisdom that he could not gainsay nor 
resist. 

He related to a friend, some years ago, the fol- 
lowing : " one day, I had some difficulty with one 
of my neighbours, and he let in hardness towards 
me, so that he would not speak when we met, 
and he would not shake hands with me. I felt 
very much cast down and distressed in my mind 
both day and night ; so I cried inwardly to the 
Lord for deliverance out of this state, and that 
the unity and good feelings between us might be 
restored. One day, as I was sitting in meeting 
waiting in silence on the Lord, he put it into 
my heart to go to the man as soon as meeting 
ended ; so before I had spoken to any one, or 
had eaten or drank I went in the faith and found 
my neighbor alone in the barn, threshing. He 
threw down his flail and looked very much sur- 
prised : we both stood still for some time, until 
tears began to run down my face ; he then shed 
tears also. I told him of the great distress I had 
felt day and night ; he said it had been the case 
with him too ; so we made friends, and the unity 
was never again broken, for afterwards, when 
we met, we always had good feelings." 



72 MEMOIRS OF 

He related an occurrence, in reference to treat- 
ing with offenders, that should be handed down 
to posterity. He said, " a Friend committed a 
breach against the good order and discipline of 
the Society, and justified himself in his offence. 
A committee were appointed to wait on him, 
but he was full of arguments in defence of his con- 
duct — a party was forming in the monthly meet- 
ing, for he went about telling what he had said 
and what the committee had said, and some 
thought one thing, and some another. I felt my 
mind drawn in love and life to go with the com- 
mittee to see him. Knowing very well that he 
would fortify himiself with arguments against 
every thing that could be said to him, I told 
Friends that w^e were going to meet with a 
crooket spharet, (crooked spirit) that never could 
be overcome with words, so we must all be silent, 
and say nothing about the man's offence, for he 
knows very well what we are coming for. All he 
wants is for us to begin, and he will match it at 
once ; but if he begins, let us help him out his 
own way as well as we can in brotherly kind- 
ness; but if we cannot, let us all be silent. So 
we went to see him, and he invited us into a 
room, and w^e all sat in solemn silence together, 



7 

i 



JACOB RITTER. 73 

until he became very uneasy and restless. We 
then conversed about other matters, and after- 
wards walked out, looked at his farm, and talked 
friendly together. So we came in and took tea, 
and after tea w^e sat in silence, in a feeling and 
tender state. We then concluded to order our 
horses and go, but he said, " Friends, not so, it 
is too late.'' So we consented and stayed all 
night, and in the morning, after breakfast, we sat 
down again in solemn silence, and were all much 
tendered together. When we had bid the family 
farewell, and had mounted our horses, he called 
us back, and said, " Friends,! am conquered ; for 
I could not sleep last night. I had nothing but my 
conscience to war with, and it continually re- 
proached me with having done wrong. Oh! 
Friends, I am willing to make any acknowledg- 
ment, if it will only atone for the evil I have 
done.'' I told him he had not much acknowl- 
edgment to make to Friends ; if he could only 
make peace with his heavenly father, a very lit- 
tle would satisfy Friends. So we went back again, 
and he wrote an acknowledgment which we 
thought was more than enough, and when it was 
made right, we parted in much tenderness, and 
he gave the paper to the monthly meeting. It 
10 



74 MEMOIRS OP 

was freely accepted, and peace and harmony was 
restored among Friends.'^ 

On one occasion during harvest time, on which 
account probably the meeting was unusually 
small, and Friends were very drowsy, Jacob 
stood up, and impressively cried out, " Friends, 
we must try to keep one another awake, or else 
we shall lose the life. To lose the life would be 
losing everything ; the life is more than meat, 
and the body than raiment." Friends felt the 
force of this brief exhortation, and the meeting 
was refreshed and enlivened. 

During the Yearly meeting of 1827, Friends 
met in Green Street meeting-house to deliberate 
on the state of Society and to adopt such mea- 
sures as, in the wisdom of truth, might appear 
suitable to extricate the body from the embar- 
rassments into which it had been thrown, occa- 
sioned by the rash and intolerant conduct of 
some of its members. 

The following statement relative to this event, 
furnished by a Friend, is here introduced without 
further comment : 



I 



JACOB RITTER. 75 

" A short time after the Yearly meeting in 
1827, Jacob Ritter informed a Friend, that in 
said meeting he could not hear what was said, 
(his hearing being heavy,) but he could feel that 
things were not right, that he was deeply tried, 
and in his distress remembered his younger years, 
his education in the Lutheran church, his con- 
vincement and the feelings which induced him to 
join this society ; that in so doing, he had sacri- 
ficed much, endured many trials, and offended the 
friends of his youth, hoping and believing that 
he would here find a place of rest, a refuge from 
the storm until the close of his days. But he 
now felt that his hopes and expectations were 
gone, that the bond of unity was broken, and 
that he had no further interest with this people/' 

'' He reflected with melancholy feelings on his 
disappointment, and lost estate ; being, as he ap- 
prehended, now left alone and turned out in his 
old age like a pelican in the wilderness, or a 
sparrow upon the house top, with no society that 
he could unite with in religious fellowship. — 
Looking over the house, he concluded that he 
could never come into it any more, and, on the 
rising of the meeting, he went out and sauntered 



76 



MEMOIRS OF 



along the street, until he arrived at a Friend's 
house. Upon going in, he found the family at 
tea and sat down with them, but could not eat ; 
he therefore arose from the table, and again w^alk- 
ed the streets for some time, in deep distress. — 
Coming to another Friend's door, and finding it 
open he walked in ; observing Friends putting 
on their coats, he inquired where they were 
going. One of them answered, " to Green Street 
meeting-house :'' he asked " what for ?" and was 
told that the state of the Yearly Meeting had 
become so trying, and the Society involved in so 
much difficulty, that many Friends thought it 
right to assemble there in order to seek for a 
right opening, and to determine the proper 
course to be pursued under those affecting cir- 
cumstances. On being asked if he would accom- 
pany them, he replied, '' I will go," remarking at 
the same time, that they did not know his feel- 
ings, nor what he had been thinking of. He ac- 
cordingly went and sat down with them in silence; 
and, in a short time, felt the same power to over- 
shadow him, and the same concern and unity of 
feeling which first drew him to join this Society, 
and the evidence w^as so clear, that there was no 
room for doubt." 



I JACOB RITTER. 77 

f He also also added that at the Quarterly 
meeting at Horsham, a committee from the 
Yearly Meeting, appointed by a party out of the 
unity, attended, and introduced great difficulty 
and confusion. Jacob said he sat altogether 
I quiet and easy in his mind, under a full assurance 
I that the meeting would sustain its standing and 

f testimonies, that he had seen to the end of the 
.spirit of strife and confusion, and that truth 
would have the victory. 

I Towards the close of this interesting meet- 
ing, Jacob observed, " these trials are not 
inew to me. I have passed through the furnace 
before and came out unhurt, and now I am ready 
to pass through it again: this is the same spirit of 
orthodoxy that got up in the church to which I 
once belonged, and disowned me ; it always did 
and always will persecute the true seed, for its 
enmity is w^ith the cross of Christ.'' 



At a meeting in the sixth-month following, 
|lield in the same house, he expressed his faith in 
|the Divine power that would deliver Friends out 
pf all their trials. He added, '' Friends should 
I always be faithful to the truth, and never shrink 



s 

i 



78 MEMOIRS OF 

from it, though all the powers of the world 
should rise up against them.'' He also warned 
Friends of the danger of entering into conten- 
tions about faith and doctrine, as the spirit above 
alluded to was endeavouring to draw them into 
it to their hurt. 



As this w^ork may fall into the hands of per- 
sons not in religious profession with Friends, a j 
brief explanation of the causes that produced ' 
the separation here alluded to, may not be out of 
place in these Memoirs. This cannot be better 
done, perhaps, than by presenting to the reader, 
the following extracts from epistles issued by our 
Yearly Meeting in reference to this event. It 
may be proper to add that the Society of Friends 
recognises but one rule of action as the funda- 
mental law, or principle of Christianity, viz : the 
influence of Divine grace^ or the spirit of Christ 
Jesus dwelling in^ and operating upon the hearts 
of men. It maintains, agreeably to the testimo- j 
ny of scripture, that this Divine influence is the 
gift of God, freely dispensed to every member of| 
the human family ; and that by a conformity of' 
life to the dictates of this heavenly monitor and 
guide, Christ within, the hope of glory, the 



i 



JACOB UITTER* 79 

Christian character is attained ; the work of sal- 
vation is accomplished ; and hy no other means. 

This doctrine, so plain, so rational, so com- 
prehensive, and, atthe same time, so scriptural, is, 
and has always been, the distinguishing tenet of 
Quakerism. And whatever may have been their 
former relations to the Society, all who have, in 
any degree, abandoned this simple ground of be- 
lief by attempting to introduce and establish 
other and supernumerary views of Christian ob- 
ligation, have justly forfeited their claim to the 
title of Friends. To an obvious defection of this 
kind, as well as to the causes specified in the fol- 
lowing extracts, may be traced the recent diffi- 
culties in our Society, and the origin of a disaf- 
fected party since known by the name of Ortho- 
dox Friends. This name it has received, in view 
of its former standing as a portion of the Socie- 
ty of Friends ; and its present position, as having 
embraced some points of doctrine, and especially 
the outward views of Christian redemption es- 
teemed by religious denominations generally as 
fundamental and orthodox. This body, since its 
organization, has, from time to time,instituted and 
propagated a variety of charges denunciatory of 



i-i 



80 MEMOIRS OF 

the Christian standing of Friends. This^however, 
was to be expected from the new character which 
it had assumed. To these charges, allusion is 
made in the extracts here given. In an epistle , 
issued in the fourth-month 1829, addressed " to ?1| 
the members of the religious society of Friends 
on the continent of America and elsewhere/' 
the late division in onr Society, and the causesli 
which led to it, are thus briefly adverted to : "It 
is a subject of public notoriety, that a division 
has taken place in our religious society, accom- 
panied by circumstances to which we reluctantly 
advert ; but we apprehend ourselves called upon 
to do so, inasmuch as charges have been prefer- I 
red against us, implicating our character as a 
Christian people, by those who once stood con- i 
nected with us in religious fellowship. 

The events to which we allude have had their 
origin, as we believe, in the same prohfic caLse of 
evil that has so often agitated the Christian 
world — a lust after power and pre-eminence in 
the church. Our religious society had long re- 
cognised in its disciphnary regulations, and in 
its practice, those excellent precepts of Chris- 
tian fellowship and brotherly feeling, which the 



JACOB RITTER. 81 

blessed Jesus laid down for the observance of 
his disciples, when he said, " Ye know that the 
princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over 
them, and they that are great exercise authority 
upon them, but it shall not he so among you, but 
whosoever will be great among you let him be 
your minister, and whosoever will be chief among 
you let him be your servant." Matthew^, xx. 
25. And again, " Be not ye called Rabbi, for 
one is your master, even Christ, and all ye are 
brethern.^^ — Matthew, xxiii. 8. As long as 
these commands were respected, and adhered to 
in practice, harmony prevailed among the mem- 
bers of the society — their violation was folio vr- 
ed by discord and confusion. 

Some influential individuals, long occupying 
conspicuous stations in the church, disregarding 
these precepts, found means to extend, from time 
to time, their power, and combining together, ar- 
rogated an authority over tlieir fellow-members 
incompatible with their civil and rehgious rights. 
This authority once assumed, pretexts were soon 
found for its exercise, and hence an arbitrary 
rule of the few over the many was openly advo- 
cated and practically entbrced. When men feel 
11 



82 



MEMOIRS OF 



power, and forget rights no precautions avail to 
prevent abuses. Neither our long established 
practice, nor our excellent discipline, could arrest 
the progress of this evil — the bonds of unioL 
were burst asunder, and a division of the society 
became inevitable. 



In order to justify the course pursued, and 
cover the misrule that has thus divided the body, 
misrepresentation has, as is usual in such cases, 
been resorted to. Books and pamphlets have 
been issued from the press, and industriously cir- 
culated, impeaching our character as a Christian 
people I — some of them sanctioned by bodies pro- 
fessing to be Yearly Meetings of the Society of 
Friends. On the present occasion let it suffice to 
declare, that these high charges preferred against 
us, are destitute of any foundation in truth. '^ 

From an epistle addressed by our Yearly 
Meeting to that of Friends in London, the fol- 
lowing is extracted: 

'^ We are aware that our opponents have pro- 
nounced lis infidels and deists ! They have said 
we have departed from the Christian faith, and 



I 



JACOB RITTER. 83 

renounced the religion of our worthy predeces- 
sors in the Truth. Nothing is easier than to 
make such charges as these ; but in the present 
case we are happily assured that nothing is 
harder than to prove them. We are not sensi- 
ble of any dereliction on our part from the prin- 
ciples laid down by our blessed Lord. The his- 
tory of the birth, life, acts, death and resurrec- 
tion of the Holy Jesus, as in the volume of the 
Book it is written of him, we reverently believe. 
We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, 
because it is the power of God unto salvation to 
all them that believe ; neither do we hesitate to 
acknowledge the Divinity of its author, because 
we know from living experience, that he is the 
power of God, and the wisdom of God ; that, 
under the present glorious dispensation, he is the 
one holy principle of Divine life and light ; the 
unlimited word of grace and truth, which only 
can build us up in the true faith, and give us an 
inheritance among all those who are sanctified ; 
neither are we sensible of any departure from 
the faith or principles of our primitive Friends. 

'' The charges brought against us by our op- 
posers, to injure and invahdate our character as a 



84 



MEMOIRS OF 



Christian people^ are the same that were prefer- 
red against our primitive Friends, and, we ap- 
prehend, upon the same grounds. In that day, 
those who, hke Diotrephes., loved to have the 
pre-eminence, could not bear to see a people ri- 
sing up and bearing testimony to the truth and 
practical importance of that humbling doctiine ; 
' Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master, 
even Christ ; and all ye are brethren.^ (Matt. 
23 c, 8v.) We do not believe that the dissen- 
sions which have appeared amongst us had their 
origin so much in differences of opinion in doc- 
trinal points, as in a disposition, apparent in 
some, to exercise an oppressive authority in the 
Church. These, in our meetings for discipline, 
although a small minority of the whole, assumed 
the powder to direct a course of measures, painful 
to the feelings, and contrary to the deliberate 
judgment of their brethren. Thus the few 
usurped a power over the many, subversive to 
our established order, and destructive to the 
peace and harmony of society. After long and 
patient forbearance, in the hope that our oppo- 
sing brethren might see the impropriety of such 
a course, the great body of the Yearly Meeting 
saw no way to regain a state of tranquillity, but 



JACOB HITTER. 



85 



by a disconnection with those who had produced, 
and were promoting such disorders amongst us. 
By official accounts, w^hich we beheve to be 
nearly correct, from all parts of this Yearly 
Meeting, it appears that out of about twenty-five 
thousand adults and children, which composed it 
at the time of the division, about eighteen thou- 
sand remain in connection w^ith this body.'' 

To the foregoing it may be added that of 147 
meetings which constituted the whole number, 
belonging to our Yearly Meeting at the time of 
the separation, 130 remained with Friends. — 
The minority, nevertheless, have assumed exclu- 
sive claim to the title as well as to the prop- 
erty of the Society ; with w^hat show of justice 
the reader, is, perhaps, by this time prepared to 
judge. The statistical details above furnished, 
are obtained from official documents, offered as 
evidence in the case of a law suit instituted 
soon after the period of the division by Ortho- 
dox Friends, who, not content with their relative 
proportion of the property, which Friends have 
always been willing to accord them, w^ere resolv- 
ed, by virtue of legal process, to appropriate the 



86 MEMOIRS OF 



^ 



whole to themselves. The law-suits have been 
generally concluded since 1829. 

To the official statements here furnished, in 
reference to the cause of the late schism in our 
Society, may be added, the strikmg and forcible 
testimony with which the excellent subject of 
these memoirs concludes the narrative of his life, 
as given by himself : 

" Now I am clear in the belief that had we 
all attended faithfully to the pure principle of 
light and life in our hearts and minds, these dis- 
putes and divisions would not have been among 
us ; and I amconvinced, that we never shall get 
back to the unity of the spirit in the bond of 
peace until w^e settle down in the everlasting si- 
lence, to the saving and redeeming principle in 
our own hearts ; and blessed is he who attends 
strictly to its divine instructions and reproofs, 
which are the way of life and salvation/^ 



About the time of the event here alluded 
to, Jacob Ritter, in company with my father 
Hugh Foulke, was engaged in a religious 
visit to the families of Friends, and others -v^ho' 
had formerly been members of our Society, re- 



JACOB RITTER. 87 

siding between Gwynedd and Richland. While 
engaged in this service, he used great plainness of 
expression which was kindly received. 

In one of these families, a young man man- 
ifested great uneasiness. (He indulged himself 
in biting a stick, and spitting and twisting vari- 
ous ways.) Jacob appeared not to notice the 
circumstance, but was careful to keep to the 
pointings of truth in his labors. Next morning, 
however, on rising early, as was his usual prac- 
tice, and while deliberately engaged in dressing 
himself, he was heard to mutter : 

" It was a crooked spharet, (spirit) it was an 
evil spharet, it would pite tat s thick and sphit it 
out agin, but oh ! I had noting to do with it.'^ 

This amusing soliloquy was the first intima- 
tion that my father had that Jacob had noticed 
the circumstance above related. In the evening, 
while conversing on this subject, it was remark- 
edj " that a man may easily betray himself by 
his motions and gestures, and give pain to 
others, when it would be wise for him to sit still 
and endeavor to overcome his mental conflicts : 



! 



88 MEMOIRS OF 

that it is impossible to attain quietude and sere- 
nity of mind while indulging in bodily contor- 
tions ; that to sit, especially on occasions of Di- 
vine worship, in a careless and irreverent pos- 
ture, indicated a vacant and thoughtless mind ; and 
that those habits were equally at variance with 
civility and religion/^ 

He frequently visited the meetings of Friends 
both for worship and disciphne in Bucks, Mont- 
gomery, and Chester Counties in his own State, 
and also some parts of the State of New Jersey. 

He labored assiduously for the promotion of 
salutary discipline in the church ; was a sincere 
lover of order and harmony, and often mourn- 
ed over the declension in society from primitive 
simplicity in dress, language, &c. 

He was particularly qualified to administer 
reproof without giving offence. In a neigh- 
bouring Quarterly meeting, he observed that 
Friends confined their appointments to a few 
members. He said, " Friends, I have taken no- 
tice it is here as it is too much the case at 
home, and in other places, — many gifted Fii n.ls 



JACOB HITTER, 89 

seem to have nothing to do, while others are 
overloaded with business. I have taken notice in 
this meeting that one Friend has been named on 
every committee, and this does not seem to be 
fair, for one man cannot do everything. When I 
was a boy I heard a saying, that you must not 
fill the basket too full, or you will push the bot- 
tom out.^' 

The following are memorandums of a concern 
which he expressed in a monthly meeting, viz : 
^' If Friends would get down to the root and 
foundation and spring of life within themselves, 
there would be a different state of things among 
us, and our neighbours ;. we would be more 
careful to attend our meetings, and we should 
remember that the Lord looks on the heart, and 
not so much on a fine coat on our backs, or a 
fine horse or carriage, or on the outward appear- 
ance. Man looks on these and is liable to be 
proud, and in this state the Lord cannot be wor- 
shipped, for he beholdeth the proud afar off ; and 
they who are in this state are always afar off from 
him, and he is not nigh in their hearts, as he would 
1 be if they were humble and low. I wasbroughtup 
I in a. Society that taught me in my catechism, 
12 



90 



MEMOIRS OF 



when I was young, to renounce the Devil and all 
his works, and the pomps and vanities of the 
world ; but as I grew up I found this catechism 
was but mere words, and was no more to me than 
as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, and 
my heart was no better." 

^^ Friends that are unfaithful to the teachings 
of the lip of truth, whose hearts and minds are in 
the world, and their thoughts running after fine 
dress, and fashionable appearances, who follow 
the w^orld in its language, manners, and customs, 
are not a whit better than any other Society 
that is in the same spirit ; for it will be found, as | 
the lip of truth has declared, that wheresoever the | 
treasure is, there will the heart be also, and 
w^heresoever the carcase (or body) is, there will 
the eagles be gathered together.'^ 

He frequently exhorted Friends to be faithful 
in visiting one another in love, and especially to 
remember those who are beginning in the world, 
with young families around them. These had many 
difficulties and temptations to encounter, and 
often required the attention and sympathy of 
their brethren. 



i 



JACOB RITTER. 91 

In the year 1829, he attended Baltimore Year- 
ly Meeting. Here he attracted considerable at- 
tention. His original ideas, his apt compari- 
sons, the relation of his sufferings and preser- 
vations communicated in broken English, joined 
to his innocent and unassuming manners, impart- 
ed much interest to his religious labors. 

During this visit, an eminent minister, a mem- 
ber of the meeting for sufferings in Baltimore, ob- 
served that he did not approve of Friends run- 
ning after popular preachers to hear eloquent 
orations, &c., but that he felt a strong inclination 
to hear Jacob Ritter. On being asked his rea- 
son, he said, that Jacob attended their meeting 
for sufferings the other evening, and said, "when 
I was a boy, they set me to keep the sheep, and 
so they called me the sheep boy, and I took no- 
tice in the spring of the year, w^lien there w^as a 
cold easterly storm, the ewes would stand over 
the lambs to keep the storm off. And I want 
this meeting for sufferings to stand over the 
lambs to keep the storm off.'^ This seasonable 
hint, the Friend remarked, was of such weight 
and value that he would not soon forget it. 



92 MEMOIRS OF 

He afterwards attended New York Yearly 
Meeting. Of his ser.vices on this occasion, his 
companion gave an interesting account. Some 
time after this, a member of that meeting, in the 
course of a rehgious visit, called to see Jacob 
Ritter. He found him very unwell, and appa- 
rently under some depression of mind, but, en- 
couraged by the kind and cheerful conversation of 
the Friend, his drooping spirits revived. He 
shed tears, and inquired after a number of Friends 
in New York who had shown much kindness to 
him, and expressed his thankfulness that Friends 
should remember him, and that they should come 
to see a poor old man. He was reminded that 
it was such as he the Apostle alluded to when he 
said, '' Hath not God chosen the poor of this 
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom 
which he hath promised to them that love him?^' 
James 2c., 5v. 

His visiter asked him, if he remembered the 
good advice he had given to Friends, at the last 
sitting of the Yearly Meeting in New York. 
He answered, " No, I don't now remember ever 
doing much good.'' The Friend replied, " It 
having been observed that w^e had a very good 



JACOB RITTER. 93 

meeting, thou said, ^' I think too Friends, we 
have had a good meeting, and we should be 
thankful for it : for it is what we cannot com- 
mand in our own will, or by our own wisdom. 
Bnt we should all remember, that a good meet- 
ing, like every other good thing from the Father 
of mercies, brings forth good fruits; now let us 
all remember friends, and take some of the good 
home to our neighbors. 



?> 



Jacob brightened up, and inquired, ^' but did 
you obey?"' It w^as answered that many Friends 
bore it in mind, and it was believed that the hint 
had been useful ; that after meeting the general 
query among Friends was, what good thing they 
should take home to their neighbors. 

It has been already remarked that he seldom 
travelled long journeys in the work of the minis- 
try. He once went to the state of Ohio, but his 
business being of a temporal nature, he did not 
ask for a minute. On mentioning his prospect to 
the monthly meeting, he was encouraged to at- 
tend the regular meetings for worship and disci- 
pline, as way opened in the course of his journey, 



94 MEMOIRS OF 

he being well known by many Friends in that 
part of the country. 

He attended the Yearly Meeting of Ministers 
and Elders in 1840. The business of this meet- 
ing was conducted in much harmony : brotherly 
affection was felt to abound as is frequently the 
case on these occasions w^hen Friends, whose re- 
sidences are remote from each other, are thus 
convened together. This feeling brought out 
more expression than was believed to be profita- 
ble, and it was suggested by some Friends, that 
more inward and silent retirement would contri- 
bute to the best interests of the meeting. Ja- 
cob remarked, " that a prudent mother who had 
a number of children around her, while she was 
careful to provide bread enough for her family, 
would always deal it out sparingly, that none 
should go to waste, that all said in meetings not 
really needed, however good it might be in itself, 
was wasting bread that might be wanted in the 
time of need. In the Father's house there is al- 
ways bread enough and to spare, but never any 
to waste." 

While attending the Yearly Meeting, he was 



JACOB RITTER. 95 

taken very unwell, and returned home. Before 
the meeting concluded, it was reported in Phila- 
delphia that he was dead. A Friend who had 
heard the report hastened home and went to his 
house. He found Jacob sitting under his piazza, 
weak but pretty well recovered : the Friend told 
him it was reported, '' he was dead ;" he an- 
swered, "I am dead to sin." On w^hich the 
Friend observed, that many people considered 
a being dead to sin a state of perfection, that 
could not be attained in this life. To this, (as he 
had at other times frequently observed in rela- 
tion to the doctrine of perfection,) he answered 
in substance : 

" Ah ! I did not say it boastingly, (his being 
dead to sin,) but I have not served a hard Mas- 
ter, and I know he loves me ; and he has pre- 
served me in many great dangers, and severe 
hardships. Now, for several years past, I have 
not felt any thing laid to my charge, for I have 
endeavoured night and day to do his will, inso- 
much that it has been my meat and my drink to 
do my Heavenly Father's will ; but the murmurer 
who pleaded that he had served a hard master, 
and who had not improved his talent, was not ad- 



96 MEMOIRS OF 

mitted into the kingdom, but was cast into outer 
darkness, where there was weeping, wailing and 
gnashing of teeth.'^ 

About the year 1840, a number of barns in 
his neighbourhood were burnt by Hghtning. A 
Friend having alluded to the loss and distress 
occasioned by this awful visitation, he said in a 
solemn manner, " that he had an inward sense 
of it ; and that these dispensations of the Al- 
mighty were not designed for evil but for good : 
for when the judgments of the Lord are in tht% 
earth, the inhabitants thereof learn righteous- 
ness/' 

About six months before his decease, he at- 
tended the Yearly Meeting of 1841, and ap- 
peared to enjoy good health and spirits. It may 
here be observed that for several years his hear- 
ing was very dull ; but it was remarkable that 
he would, notwithstanding, speak pertinently to 
the business of the meetings. In this meeting 
he discovered that there was some difficulty in 
relation to the language of a paper under con- 
sideration. He had a particular objection to 
criticisms about words ; his prmcipal concern 



I 



f 



<: 



JACOB KITTER. 97 

was the life* His remarks on this occasion were 
as follows : 

" I can remember very well when this Year- 
ly Meeting was held in Pine street, and I thought 
there were great and good men belonged to it- — 
but in regard to writing epistles, they could not 
agree ; though I thought at that time, that they 
oould spin out a story pretty long, and write very 
well, and so on ; but when it was read in the 
Yearly Meeting, one would have a word scratch- 
ed out here and another there, but it made hack- 
ling work — too many cooks spoil the broth." 

At the Monthly meeting held at Plymouth in 
rhe seventh- month, 1841, he was very clear and 
favored in his ministry. His observations in the 
meeeting for discipline were impressive, and 
brought solemnity over the minds of Friends. — 
A concern was expressed that our approaching 
Quarterly meeting might be held to the comfort 
of Friends ; that the members might endeavour, 
as much as possible, to keep their seats, and to 
avoid conversation in and about the yard, as a 
contrary behaviour was disorderly, and had an 
13 



98 MEMOIRS OF 

unsettling tendency. Jacob addressed the meet- 
ing in substance as follows : 

" I have long considered worship as the most 
solemn act we can engage in ; and when we go 
to meetings, either for worship or discipline, we 
should remember, we are professing to do the 
Lord's work, and not man's. Now it is a great 
favor that we are permitted to take part in such 
a work, and are called to it : we are here called 
to the house of prayer. I have been think- 
ing in this meeting, what would the king, or 
the president, or a' great man of the earth think 
of us, if we had a petition to make to him, and 
we should come in before him in a light manner, 
and busy ourselves about other matters besides 
our petition, and misbehave ourselves before him, 
w^hat w^ould he think of us ? Or if we were to 
go to sleep before him, could we expect in reason 
he would grant us our petition ? Oh 1 Friends, 
if these things are so w^hen we come before a 
man like ourselves, our fellow-worm, what will 
become of us in the day of solemn account, when 
we come before the King of Kings, and Lord of 
Lords?" 



JACOB RITTER. 



99 



On his way home from a funeral a little before 
his decease, he said to a Friend, " I believe my 
time is now very short in this w^orld ; and when 
I am gone, if tiiou hast any of the management 
or direction about my funeral, I desire that my 
interment may not take place too soon." 

He attended Plymouth meeting on first-day, 
the 28th of the eleventh-month, 1841, and ap- 
peared in the ministry with clearness, and much 
to the comfort and satisfaction of Friends. This 
was the last meeting he attended. 

On third-day the 30th, he w^as taken very un- 
well, and from this time, continued gradually to 
decline for about two weeks. 

A few days before his departure, two Friends 
called to see him. He greeted them affection- 
ately, and desired to be raised upon the bed. Af- 
ter a pause, he said, in a firm distinct voice, — 
'' I have seen, as it were, all the world of man- 
kind before me; and they that repent, and are fa- 
vored to overcome their own stubborn wills, shall 
live and shall be saved with an everlasting salva- 
tion. But they that will not repent must die.'* 

iLofC. 



100 MEMOIRS OF 

One of the Friends remarked, " that it was a 
great consolation that his Divine Master was 
with him ; that it reminded him of some of the 
last expressions of a beloved Friend, lately de- 
ceased, who had quoted the promise of our Sa- 
viour to his disciples, and who had felt at that 
solemn time, that this promise applied to himself, 
viz : " Lo, I am with you always, even unto 
the end of the world." 

After a pause, he said in a very feeling man- 
ner, '' yes, it is true in my case, and though my 
bodily sufferings are very great, yet I am merci- 
fully supported under them ; and I know they 
are refining and preparing me for a state of ever- 
lasting rest and happiness." 

Soon after this, two other Friends visited him 
and found him apparently asleep, but suffering 
under great difficulty of breathing. After he 
awoke, seeing the Friends, he said, " Oh ! I am 
glad to see you :" and after a little pause, ad- 
ded, " Behold the Lamb of God that taketh 
away the sins of the world." 

The following memorandums were made by 



JACOB RITTER. 



101 



-0 Friends who had assisted in the care of him 
during his illness. From these, it appears, that 
one prominent feature in his character was pre- 
served to the last, viz : " A remarkable exemp- 
tion from any thing like self-righteousness." On 
one occasion, on parting w^ith some Friends who 
had come to see him, he said, '^' It is profitable 
Friends to visit one another in the hfe," and 
several occasions he repeated the admonition, 
fiind the light." 

*^ As his means of living had been truly ex- 
. nplary in dress and furniture, setting a good 
example himself, so in his last illness he w^as of- 
ten led to make solid remarks on these subjects. 

e said he had abused himself in younger life by 

Lcessive labor, and too much ambition to obtain 
H livelihood ; that he now felt the effects of his 
formei/ abuses of the good gifts of Heaven, and 
that his suffering was increased by it ; he admon- 
ished those around him not to do so, that it be- 
sDoke a manifest w^ant of faith in the promise 

3m the lip of truth. 

" His affectionate admonition to all Friends 
ery where was to exercise forbearance towards 



102 



MEMOIRS OF 



those -who had transgressed the discipline, ob- 
serving that the kingdom of Christ comes bylj 
entreaty and not by force; and in relation toll 
persons imder convincement, he was desirous 
that patience might have its perfect work, and 
that they should be treated with love and ten- 
derness. 

*^He expressed an earnest desire that Friends 
might be preserved from, and keep out of the 
spirit of the world, and all its commotions, and 
that all Friends every where should be faithful, 
and not suffer the fear of man to prevent them 
from doing the wdll of their Creator. 

" As his end drew near, he said, " I feel that 
the truth and seed of life has the dominion and 
reigns in me. Oh ! that the babe of immortal 
life might be brought forth, and be nourished, and 
have the dominion in all people ; how kind then 
would they be to one another/' 

" His words were seas oned with grace, and 
his mind was preserved in a heavenly calm to 
the last ; and in this undisturbed and peaceful 
state, he continued until one o'clock in the after- 



r I 



JACOB RITTER, 



103 



noon of fourth-day, the fifteenth of the twelfth- 
month, 1841, when he passed quietly away, hi 
the eighty-fifth year of his age, and resigned his 
spirit to him who gave it. He was a minister 
about fifty years, and a member of this meeting 
nearly twenty-nine. 

His remains were interred in Friends' burial 
ground at Plymouth on seventh-day the eigh- 
teenth of the month, on which solemn occasion, 
a meeting for worship was held after the inter- 
ment." 



\ 



RECAPITULATION. 

On reviewing the life, character and religious 
experiences of Jacob Ritter, together with the 
merciful display of the Divine power in preser- 
ving him in his greatest extremities, and de- 
livering him out of all his dangers ; and finally, 
after leading him safely along to old age, taking 
the dominion and reigning over all in him, while 
he was passing through the valley of the sha- 
dow of death, we discover much for edification 
and comfort. 1 Cor. xiv. 3. Hence it becomes 
the duty of those who knew him, and were his 
brethren in the same spiritual relationship, to be 
faithful to the injunction, " gather up the frag- 
ments that remain, that nothing be lost.'' 

In him, we see the character of the Apostles, 
their experience, and the promise of Christ ex- 
emplified. They said, "Lo, we have left all, and 
followed thee.'' Jesus answered, " Verily I 
say unto you, there is no man that hath left 
house or parents, or brethren or wife or children 
for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not re- 



106 MEMOIRS OF 

ceive manifold more in this present time, and in 
the world to come, life everlasting/' Luke xviii. 
28, 29, 30, 

Jacob Ritter had not received a scholastic 
education ; he had not been instructed in the 
rules of theology ; he had not, like Paul, been 
brought up at the feet of a Gamaliel. But the re- 
ligion that Paul learned in that school, was at en- 
mity with the cross of Christ; and he knew nothing 
of the Gospel " but ^y the revelation of Jesus 
Christ," Gal. i., 12. : nay, he counted ftie 
righteousness which was in the law, and all 
things with it (by comparison), but dross and 
dung that he might win Christ. Philemon iii. 8. 

Jacob, when thirteen years of age, had not re- 
ceived instruction by which he had been taught 
even the being of God ; but when he beheld the 
starry firmament and changing clouds, his young 
untutored mind thought, " surely there must be 
some great power, that created and formed all 
these things ;'' and though he had often felt the 
secret ^ouches of Divine love, yet he wist not 
what it was. 



JACOB RITTER. 



107 



Soon after this he beheld in the visions of 
Light, the heavenly city, and was shown that he 
must enter this city by Christ ; this accords 
with the declaration : " Verily, verily, I say imto 
you, he that entereth not by the door into the 
sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the 
same is a thief and a robber/^ John x. 1. Again^ 
he saw that this heavenly city needed not the 
light of the sun, nor of the moon, for Christ is 
the light thereof. 

When he w^as about sixteen, while standing 
alone in the woods in solemn silence, a sight and 
sense came over him of the horrors of war ; but 
he did not know the meaning of it. 

When he was about twenty years of age, there 
was a muster of the militia in his neighborhood ; 
and he was taught by the minister of the church 
to which he belonged the propriety and necessity 
of standing in defence of his country against her 
enemies ; and he was finally prevailed upon, 
against his better judgment, to join the army. 

He now experienced a pause somewhat simi- 
lar, though under very different circumstances, 



108 MEMOIRS OF 

to the solemn silence that came over him while 
standing alone in the woods when he was sixteen 
years of age ; it was indeed its painful counter- 
part: "an awful pause'' he says, (alluding to 
the battle of Brandywine,) " preceded the en- 
gagement." Here he was taken prisoner and 
brutally beaten. War-worn and weary, he was 
driven to Philadelphia, and turned into prison 
with about nine hundred men. In this prison, 
he suffered almost all the privations and cruelty 
that we can conceive human nature capable of 
enduring. 

It may be here mentioned more fully than is 
recited in his journal, and as he frequently rela- 
ted, that in all his sufferings in prison he was 
never wholly forsaken by the Divine presence ; 
that though he felt keen remorse for his disobe- 
dience to clear manifestations of duty in entering 
into the army, yet in compliance with what he 
believed to be his duty, he prostrated himself on 
the ground every evening, and implored the 
Father of mercies for forgiveness. '^ I laid my- 
self down and begged" said he; and in one of 
these mental fervent intercessions, he received 
the assurance of Divine pardon, accompanied 



JACOB RITTER. 109 

by a promise of deliverance which gave him 
new life. 

He was in awful perils when the yellow fever 
was raging in the city of Philadelphia in the year 
1793 ; but he saw the finger of God in this dis- 
pensation of his judgments, and cast all his care 
and dependence upon Him, who mercifully pre- 
served him, and raised him from the bed of sick- 
ness when that malignant epidemic was upon 
him. 

Twice he was in perils among false brethren 
who, in the first instance, denounced him as a re- 
probate, and in the second, as an unbeliever and 
a heretic. As the same spirit, in the same man- 
ner, accused Paul formerly ; so he, like Paul, de- 
clared that after the way which they called heresy, 
so worshipped he the God of his fathers, believing 
all things which are written in the law and the 
prophets : and again, " they could not prove the 
things whereof they accused him." Acts xxiv. 
13, 14. 

But through all his trials he maintained the 
doctrine of the common salvation, and according 



110 MEMOIRS OF 

to the Apostolic exhortation, contended ear- 
nestly for the faith once dehvered to the saints, 
Jude iii, saying, by the expressive language of 
example, and by his blameless life and conversa- 
tion among men, '' none of these things move me, 
neither count T my life dear unto myself, so 
that I might finish my course with joy, and the 
ministry v^hich I have received of the Lord Je- 
sus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." 
Acts XX. 24. 

Like Job, " he died, being old and full of 
days." We who are left behind, are sensible 
that a faithful standard bearer has been removed. 
We feel the privation, yet not without the cheer- 
ing hope that our loss is his eternal gain. This 
hope is confirmed by his dying words, viz : "I 
feel that the truth and seed of life has the do- 
minion and reigns in me." Oh ! such a testi- 
mony at such a time naturally inspires in us who 
are left behind the ejaculation of one formerly: 
" Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my 
last end be like his." 

To conclude, as his life was in some respects 
similar to that of the apostle, so, we believe, 



JACOB RITTER. Ill 

the declaration of the latter when he drew near 
the solemn close, might have been fully adopted 
by the subject of these memoirs : " I am now 
ready to be offered, and the time of my depar- 
ture is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have 
kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me 
a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the 
righteous Judge, shall give me at that day, and 
not to me only, but unto all them also that love 
his appearing.'' 2. Tim. iv. 7, 8. 



THE END. 



JtiN 2Q 1903 



n 



lF3Ap'27 



II 



lllVlMim ^ OF CONGRESS ^ 

029 734 987 9 



asHTi 



mm 




